Field Programmable Gate Array-Based
Solar Tracker Project
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, New Era University
No. 9 Central Ave., New Era, Quezon City, Philippines
Joanna Patricia S. Averilla, Ryan Lloyd Balane, Kervin Bernardez, Villy Joi M. Cenita,
Kim Crisostomo, Jan Dayrit, Princess Hergrace Tiongco, Carl Angelo R. Vallejos
Abstract—The project aims to control a solar
panel by tilting it and face it to the highest
intensity of sunlight by the use of FPGA. The
system uses a light dependent resistor as an
input and servo motor to change the angle of the
solar panel.
Keywords – FPGA (Field Programmable Gate
Array), LDR (Light Dependent Resistor), JTAG
(Joint Test Action Group), PWM (Pulse Width
Modulation)
I. Introduction
Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is a
device that consists of different gates located at
a chip. Field-Programmable Gate Arrays(FPGAs)
are the newest and currently most popular
media for designing new digital Application
Specific Integrated Circuits(ASICs). An FPGA
consists of an array of user-programmable
combinational and sequential logic elements
(called logic blocks), which implement the
functionality of a circuit, and a set of user-
programmable routing resources, which connect
the logic blocks. Like Programmable Logic
Devices, the designer “manufactures” the ASIC in
the office within minutes by programming the
logic elements and connections. Another
advantage is that FPGA’s have the properties of
a commodity chip, such as a random access
memory: the FPGA chips are all the same and,
because of large volumes, can be produced more
economically.
There are many sources of energy in the known
universe. Some of which are obtainable without
the need of expending some to begin with. These
are known as renewable energy. One of those
renewable energies is solar energy, which comes
naturally from the sun. As a naturally occurring
energy source, and the fact that solar energy is
all around us during the day, it is only natural
that we would want to extract its advantages.
Solar panels are used to extract the energy
coming from the sun and turn it into electricity.
They execute this by means of using photodiodes
that have their electrons move by the force of
the photons generated by the sun’s light.
Photovoltaic modules use light energy (photons)
from the sun to generate electricity through the
photovoltaic effect.
While solar panels are a good method to extract
renewable energy from a reliable source, they
are not without their drawbacks. An example of
a problem that solar panels face is the fact that
the sun does not stay in one place. Being
exposed to the sun’s energy from different
angles will cause different amounts of energy
obtained from the device. Having misalignment
in the orientation of the panel and the sun will
produce poorer results in gathering solar energy.
For maximum gain, we need the panel to be
facing the sun with as little misalignment as
possible.
Given that information, it would be
advantageous to utilize motion to tilt the panels
to have it face the general direction of the sun at
all times. Doing so would yield to more energy
being extracted by the solar panel and thus
generating more electricity for uses varying.
 II. Methodology 3) Circuitry: (Figure-1) Shows a voltage divider
circuit with the LDR connected in series with a 1K
A. Materials
ohm resistor.
 DE0-Nano FPGA board
 Light Dependent Resistor; 5mm
 Resistor; 1K ohm
 Quartus II
 Breadbooard
 I/O pins
 Solar Panel
 Wood
 PVC pipe 1KΩ
 Metal fittings
 Copper Wire
 DMM
 Servo Motor

B. Procedures
Analog-to-Digital Converters are used to Figure-2 Voltage Divider Circuit
connect analog devices (such as a microphone,
LDR, etc.) to a digital system. The ADC performs 4) As seen in figure 1, the FPGA is connected within
the function of converting a continuous-valued the circuit, it functions as to convert the analog signal
analog signal into a discrete-valued digital one. to digital discrete values.
The FPGA board contains an ADC128S002
Analog-to-Digital Converter. This chip provides 5) Display the digital values that are up to 8 bits on the
FPGA’s LED.
up to eight channels of analog input and
converts them into a 12-bit digital signal.
6) The converted digital values are then evaluated and
processed through the programming source code
1) Establishing Design Strata: Study of which are shown below:
datasheet and design calculations to scope
design boundaries.
Figure-3 Parameter Declarations

2) Fabricating Design Functions: Utilization of Figure-4 Port Declarations

the Quartus II to create program modules and
functions, such as Verilog, Block diagrams, PLL’s
and Pin Assignments.
 Figure-5
Declaration for the LED values if they are equal to the
ADC data, which is equal to 3-5 bits of value. When
the digital values are from 3 bits to 5 bits. The FPGA
will give a PWM that will drive the servo motor.
Figure-5 7 Segment Connections
Figure-6 Structural Coding
Figure-7 Converting ADC Values
7)[Figure-6] If the values are 0-2 bits, it indicates
that the light obtained is too dim. If the values
are from 6-8 bits, it indicates that the light is
bright and enough for the solar panel to execute
its operation.
8) Compilation and Simulation
9) Feedback of Simulation Errors
 III. Discussion
V. Operation

START A

NO
Is FPGA ADEQUATE?
switched END
on?

YES
NO
YES
ADJUST SERVO
CONTROLLER
READ SENSOR’S B PROGRAM
OUTPUT VOLTAGE

SERVO
B
STOP
ANALOG TO
DIGITAL Figure-8 Operation Flow of the Project
CONVERSION

Figure-8 shows how the project operates. Once

the FPGA is switched on, the panel will start seeking
SERVO for the maximum intensity of light available. When
CONTROLLER the condition met, the panel will stop rotating and
PROGRAM harness the energy from the sun. The process will
repeat as long as the FPGA switched on.

IV. Bill of Materials

NO
IS THERE
ANY
ROTATE
PRESENCE SERVO
OF LIGHT?

YES

V. Conclusion
A
By this project, we’ll be able to see the benefits
of this valuable resource and help change the
future for energy use. This can be used as an
alternative source of energy to any most possible
commodities that needs energy such as
electronic devices, appliances, and farm fields.
 The sun is a powerful source that can help
our planet by giving us not only clean, and light
to live but also reusable energy to power our
world. The use of this energy is free, does not
create pollution, and if used wisely can help us
become less dependent on other costlier and
damaging forms of power.
This project can accurately know the light values
of the surroundings. The FPGA works well in
converting analog to digital values. The solar
panel is working with the correct values of the
LDR therefore the project is successful. The
project can still be improving in the future and
add more functions and monitoring.
VI. RELATION OF PROJECT TO
INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
Solar energy is required and is important for
survival of life on earth. Not only human beings,
plants, animals everyone requires solar energy
every day. Plants require solar energy to produce
oxygen, prepare food i.e. photosynthesis. Solar
energy is required to produce both pure and
saltwater in oceans as it is the only source of
melting the frozen ice formed on the mountain
caps.
Apart from that the electricity which we get
to run various machines is all gained from the
solar energy, thus its importance and existence
is very important on a planet where there is life.
In that case solar energy can be used as it can be
generated in rural areas too until there is enough
sunlight coming. Solar energy is used for radio,
television, micro waves etc.
Apart from that is also used for transportation
purposes too. Also to produce a solar energy a
solar panel is an instrument needed and Solar
panels produce direct current voltage, and if
connected to an electric circuit, they generate
direct current (DC).
to innovate a more efficient instruments using
microcontrollers and LDR. And in Industrial
Electronics we need to design, draw, construct,
analyze, and troubleshoot basic series and
parallel AC and DC electrical circuits including all
typical circuit elements and explain the function
of each to provide so we can build a controlling
device with automation by the used of
electronics components such as like LDR.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like to thank our beloved professor,
Engr. Sheryll C. Autor and Engr. Esmeralda C.
Maniquis for guiding us in our project. This
project helps us to improve our knowledge in
industrial electronics like LDR and using of
analog to digital converter. It is a key for us to
develop our knowledge from what we learned
from Industrial Electronics and Signal Processing
subjects.
A special thanks to our beloved parents for
supporting us to finish the project and for their
financial support to accomplish this project
REFERENCES
https://sites.google.com/site/fpgaandco/de0-
nano-pinout
https://unboxnbeyond.wordpress.com/2013/05
/11/configuring-de0-nano-epcs64-flash-device/
http://www.fpga4fun.com/QuartusQuickStart.h
tml
http://www.fpga4student.com/
http://www.asic-
world.com/systemverilog/basic2.html

For most devices and machines, direct current

is not useful because they are designed to run on
alternating current (AC). The power grids also
run on alternating current. Converting direct
current into grid-compatible alternating current
is what inverters are for. So to provide this kind
of instruments Industrial Electronics is one way