Improving the efficiency of solar panels is the main task of solar energy generation. One of the methods is a solar tracking system. One of the most important parameters of tracking systems is a precise orientation to the Sun. In this paper, the performance of single-axis solar trackers based on schedule and light dependent resistor (LDR) photosensors, as well as a stationary photovoltaic installation in various weather conditions, were compared. A comparative analysis of the operation of a manufactured schedule solar tracker and an LDR solar tracker in different weather conditions was performed; in addition, a simple method for determining the rotation angle of a solar tracker based on the encoder was proposed. Finally, the performance of the manufactured solar trackers was calculated, taking into account various weather conditions for one year. The proposed single-axis solar tracker based on schedule showed better results in cloudy and rainy weather conditions. The obtained results can be used for designing solar trackers in areas with a variable climate.

The paper considers an intelligent automated solar tracking control system designed to increase the efficiency of solar energy production. The proposed method of detecting cloudiness allows system to adapt to various weather conditions in real time by changing the angle of the solar panel. It is known that in case of strong scattering of solar radiation in cloudy weather panels installed horizontaly are more effective, rather than trackers which precisely oriented to the Sun. Proposed solar biaxial solar tracker equipped with two additional small solar modules. One of the modules is installed in a horizontal position, the second module is also a biaxial solar tracker. The algorithm for determining the position of the solar panel is based on known trajectory of the Sun during whole year saved in memory card and on monitoring the output currents of small solar panels built into the system. When cloudiness increases, the output current of a small solar horizontal module will exceed the current of the module oriented to the Sun. Then the big solar panel goes into a horizontal position. For remote monitoring of the energy characteristics of the solar battery, wireless data transmission based on LoRa AS32 TTL modules were added into the system. Experimental results showed that energy generated in cloudy weather using proposed method exceeds energy collected by biaxial solar tracker by 18%.

With the development of technologies and the growing need for accurate positioning inside buildings, the localization method based on Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) fingerprinting is becoming increasingly popular. Its popularity is explained by the relative simplicity of implementation, low cost and the ability to use existing wireless infrastructure. This review article covers all the key aspects of building such systems: from the wireless communication technology and the creation of a radiomap to data preprocessing methods and model training using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms. Specific recommendations are provided for each stage that can be useful for both researchers and practicing engineers. Particular attention is paid to such important issues as RSSI signal instability, the impact of multipath propagation, differences between devices and system scalability issues. In conclusion, the review highlights the most promising areas for further research. For smart cities, the approaches and recommendations presented in the review contribute to the development of urban services by combining indoor positioning systems with IoT platforms for automation, transport and energy management.

Modern solar follow-up systems make it possible to increase a solar cell’s efficiency and, as a result, solar energy utilization. The paper considers modern solar follow-up methods and their...

The paper considers modern street lighting systems and shows the drawbacks of existing street lighting systems. The concept of an autonomous street lighting system with wireless monitoring is considered. The power of this system is provided by solar panels and accumulators. The organization of a wireless network inevitably raises the question of energy consumption. In this paper, we presented a router duty mode, which reduces the overall power consumption of the wireless network. The router's duty mode is a process of sequentially switching nodes from the role of routers to the role of sensor nodes. The graphs of discharge of accumulators are constructed for the stationary mode of the network operation and for the duty mode.