CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

As the planet earth runs over this long period of the time evolution is constantly
unchanging. And everything fails to this constantly unchanging is everything under the sun.
From a simple concept of photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund
Bequerel, in 1839, who found the certain materials would produce small amount of electric
current, when exposed to sunlight, through the first photovoltaic module was built by Bell
Laboratories in 1954. Is now an automated program system in trucking sun rays as its power the
artificial satellite in outer space.

There must be some limits to the ability of the earth to sustain a growing population.
Fortunately, population model suggest that the world’s population will probably level out at
about two to three times the present numbers over the next hundred years. The question is
whether the earth’s resources are sufficient to sustain the population at a high standard of living
for all. In this the key issue is energy.

As a nation, the prospect to decarbonize our transport system whilst stimulating the
economy through jobs and investment, is vital to sustaining our position as a world leader. The
environmentally conscious tax payer expect the employment efficient and effective solutions to
critical problems, we are that solution. A wide range of different technologies and solutions will
be required and implemented to reduce transport emission. Companies is committed to assist in
the reduction in emissions, and our economic and environmental priorities include; climate
change, energy security and decarbonisation. This will be implemented by encouragement
through public awareness campaigns and infrastructure implementation.

Now-a-days, dealers of natural resources like fuel, coal etc. are facing a hard time to keep
pace with increasing demand. At one hand, there are more cars and motors vehicles are
dominating the transport medium, on the other hand these cars are being dominated by the fuel.
As a result, the limited resources are being quashed by the producers and dealers to satisfy this
need which is leading us to an uncertain future with having the scarcity of fuel and minerals. So,
it is clear that present trends in energy consumption, especially oil, cannot be sustained much
longer. Again in view of the possibility of global warming, these resources are playing a negative
role. Therefore under this circumstances, it is quite necessary to make a new exploration of
natural resource of energy and power. But why exploration when the resource is in front of our
bear eye. It is effective, less expensive and above all, it is an endless source of energy. With
greatly improved energy efficiency, a transition to this energy based economy capable of
sustaining the anticipated growth in the world economy economy, is possible. This effective
source is the said photoelectric effect “Solar Energy”

Solar energy is radiant energy that is produced by sun. Every day the sun radiates, or
sends out, an enormous amount of energy. The sun radiates more energy in one second than
people use since the beginning of time. The best thing about solar cells obviously is their
ability to convert sunlight into electricity. Because sunlight is unlimited, this form of electricity
is abundant, free of cost, and may be received almost from any part of the world. But sadly, solar
cells become quite useless in the absence of sunlight, i.e. during overcast conditions.

Of course, we have found ways to overcome this situation by using batteries converters,
and backup generator, but the problem doesn’t end there. The performance of these converters
and panels very much depends on the angle of incidence of sunlight. They are able to generate
maximum power only as long as the light rays are perpendicular to the panel’s surface. Since the
position of the sun is never stationary, the angle of light rays change with time, and therefore the
efficiency of the solar cells is also reduced proportionately. Thus, even after having all the means
we become quite helpless in utilizing them effectively. People have tried to find a remedy
by installing extra solar panels at different angles. This solution too has its own drawbacks, like,
very high initial cost, wide variations in the input power and less than 50% of the units actually
get utilize at a particular instant.

Solar energy is one type of the renewable energy sources which can be convert easily and
directly to the electrical energy by photo voltaic converters. The process of no movable
mechanism to convert solar energy to electric energy is called photo voltaic phenomena whereas
the conversion device was called solar cells. Solar cells converts the energy of light’s photons to
electric energy with efficiency between 5 to 25 percent without without using thermodynamic
cycle or active fluid. Solar cells can be light collector directly or can use light concentrators like
mirror or convex lens. This photo-voltaic converter is developed energy converter with the
advantage such as: relevant design and installation, silent energy conversion, long life time with
less maintenance requirement, easy transportation and light weight. But in compare with other
types of energy converters like, diesel generator it is more expensive. Therefore the optimum
operation and the maximum energy absorption from solar cells are important factors.

Due to high cost of the solar array, the angle between solar radiation and collector surface
affects on the energy absorption, it is important to provide some condition to absorb the
maximum solar energy and then convert it to electric energy for optimum converter operation.
Because of the low efficiency of the solar of the solar cell (less than 12%) and due to high price
of them in compare with other energy converters, it is important to convert and absorb the
maximum electric from PV- array

Using movable photo voltaic array to follow the sun during the day and providing a
condition in that the solar light directly radiates on the solar cells will optimize energy
conversion. In this paper, the power- voltage characteristics of a movable photo voltaic array are
compared with a fixed one during a selected day

1.2 Statement of the problem

Fuel and Gasoline plays vital role in the world of transportation but these engines and
vehicles prime mover tends to increase its demand and supply is limited across the time. On
other hand, the resources is not environment friendly and sometimes harms for vehicles that 9is
last cost and given aware. Now, an electric tricycle is on the center of this study by installing
photovoltaic panel for its power source or electric tricycle prime mover.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The paper performs the Installation of photovoltaic panel on the electric tricycle and
compares the power output of fixed and movable photovoltaic panel. With these are the
following objectives:

. To design a solar power system for electric vehicle either a fixed array system or movable
photovoltaic array.
. To perform two methods fixed and movable array as power source to the project prototype.

. To investigate the performance and feasibility of the two methods, fixed array or the movable
panel

. To attain efficient and reliable renewable energy source in our electric tricycle through PV
system.

. To analyze and compare the power output of the two method through data logger using LCD,
gzduino boards, current sensor, SD card SD shield.

1.4 Significance of the study

The demand fuel for vehicles is proportional to the population. Any time from now the
supply of fuel/ petroleum will not be able to sustain the demand. Therefore, the need of
alternative vehicle prime mover is needed. The success of this study is sufficient to all who will
and utilized electric tricycle as their mean of transportation.

1.5 scope of the study

The scope of the study includes implementation of photovoltaic panel in electric tricycle
also, designing and implementation of the two methods for our solar system that will feed in our
electric tricycle for practical use. Analysis and evaluation of the power output by using data
logger, a fixed photo voltaic system and movable photovoltaic. On the side system, the
researcher only design a movable frame allocated for our photovoltaic panel its purpose is only
to perform that the photovoltaic panel will be all perpendicular during use sun hours.
CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK (Fixed photovoltaic set up)

DATA LOGGER

PV PANNEL CURRENT &

VOLTAGE READER

BATTERY CHARGE
CONTROLLER

CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK (Movable photovoltaic set up)

DATA LOGGER

PV PANNEL CURRENT & CHARGE CONTROLLER

VOLTAGE READER

BATTERY
MANUAL TRACKER