Automation Across the Energy Spectrum: Intelligent Systems for Oil and Gas Operations and Real-Time Solar Tracking
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62486/978-9915-9851-0-7_202635Keywords:
Solar Tracking, Light Dependent Resistor (LDR), Real-Time Control, Renewable Energy, Low-Cost SystemsAbstract
Fast moving automation technologies are profoundly changing the energy sector, a change that is affecting not only carbon-based energy systems but also clean energy systems. Oil and gas exploration is becoming more and more the domain of intelligent monitoring platforms, adaptive control architectures, and sensor-rich robotic tools that can precisely operate, detect faults quickly, and ensure safety in complex subsurface environments.. The fast worldwide movement towards renewable energy has led to intense research on solar energy systems, highlighting their indispensable role in providing sustainable energy. However, traditional fixed photovoltaic (PV) panels have an inherent drawback - their non-moving nature makes it impossible for them to be in continuous contact with the sun's rays, which results in less energy being captured and lower conversion efficiency. In order to address this problem, real-time solar tracking devices have been invented to change the direction of the panels automatically, thus ensuring maximum exposure to solar irradiance during the day.
Although these solutions show substantial increases in energy output, their popularity is limited by the expensive and intricate nature of typical commercial designs, especially in the case of domestic and small-scale applications. As a result, lately, developments have been focusing on creating low-cost, sensor-based, and easily operable tracking devices that use simple elements like Light Dependent Resistors (LDRs) and photodiodes. This paper introduces a comprehensive review of the innovative ideas in this field by highlighting the features, hardware setups, and control methods of the single- and dual-axis systems besides this comparative assessment of sensor-based and astronomical models provides insights into system simplicity, dependability, and cost-effectiveness trade-off. The paper ends with an overview of potential future topics such as the use of intelligent control algorithms, Internet of Things (IoT) units, and hybrid renewable systems that, when combined, may lead to the emergence of the next generation of solar tracking technologies that are adaptive and highly efficient.
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Copyright (c) 2026 P. Prabhu, V. Suresh, T. A. Abhijith, K. Adarsh, T. Anand Kumar, Christo Ananth , Ibrohimali Normatov (Author)
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