abstract
- © 2020, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Solar energy is considered as one of the most important sources of renewable energy due to the possibility of being converted into electrical power, which could result in a feasible approach to global energy problems. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and High Concentration Photovoltaics (HCPV) systems present an alternative by the use of cost-efficient concentrating optics. However, these systems require a high-precision solar tracking system, allowing to stay perpendicular to the sun rays in order to achieve its correct functioning. In this work, a methodology for the detection and monitoring of the apparent movement of the sun through a passive image acquisition system is presented. The setup operates by processing sky dome images to find the solar-center. The development cost of this device is relatively low, it does not require articulated elements, can detect the presence of clouds, and could be compatible with multiple CSP systems. Preliminary results of a two-axis solar tracking by locating position of the sun in the sky with the proposed system are depicted.