Análise energética e financeira de um dispositivo de seguimento solar para a geração fotovoltaica

Abstract

Being located close to the equator and it has few variations of solar radiation, the Northeast region of Brazil presents favorable conditions for the deployment of photovoltaic plants. Thus, the work present aims to perform a study of energetic viability and financial of a photovoltaic panel with a solar tracking shaft, installed at Alternative Energy Laboratory (LEA) of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC ). Measurements were made in two solar tracker systems with open loop and closed loop angular positions at intervals of 15, 30, 60 and 180 minutes. Using the average irradiance, it was selected a typical day and the update interval of the angular position for each system. The net electric power generation of panels with tracking was determined from the difference between the electric power generated and the power consumed to operation of solar tracking. As cargo, it was considered a representative consumption of a typical Brazilian family residence. Finally, it analyzed the financial viability of the solar tracker system with motion control performed by microcontroller and programmable logic controller. The analysis of the financial viability of the project was based on cash flows with fixed tariff flags, ie considering a unique scenario for the months analyzed. From the point of view of better utilization of solar energy, the results demonstrated a greater capacity of electricity generation mobile system in relation to the fixed, with the disadvantage of the mobile system having a more complex implementation. The analysis allow us to conclude that a system with solar tracker update interval of the angular position of 60 minutes and control by closed loop, has a gross gain of 27.42% in the production of electricity in relation to the fixed panel. Considering the net gains, both with upgrades of 60 minutes, the system with mobile panel in open and closed loop present features relative to the fixed panel gains of 6.3% and 11.3%, respectively. The average time to payback discounted the angular positioning control systems with the open and closed loops and microcontroller use was approximately 25 years. Thus, if there is interest in using one of the control loops, it is necessary to deepen the analysis of investment costs, with the proposition of alternatives from a financial point of view.