Economic and environmental benefits in the production of photovoltaic solar electric energy using a solar tracking system in the municipality of Acacias - Meta (Colombia)

Abstract

The following article presents the results of the research entitled Design and implementation of a fixed and mobile photovoltaic system to capture the solar power, determining the cost-benefit relation for the Acacias CEAD; research based on determining the solar energy potential that affects the National Open University and Distance-UNAD, located in the municipality of Acacia. In addition, this article will determine the solar radiation in the area, solar power per m² and cost-benefit ratio of the capture of photovoltaic solar electric energy between a fixed panel system and a solar tracking system. This investigation establishes that an additional production of 61.09% of electric energy is captured from solar panels with tracking compared to fixed solar panels. Keyword-Photovoltaic solar energy, solar tracking system, Renewable energies, solar power, cost benefit. I. INTRODUCTION Renewable energies such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and biomass have aroused great interest in the world as a possible solution to the production of non-renewable energies derived from coal, oil and gas [1], which through the history have had a volatile market, with their costs depending on the internal policies of each country. In addition, there is a need to reduce CO 2 emissions in the atmosphere in order to mitigate global warming, as a reference to the European Union which possess close to 40% of the world's patents related to renewable energy and are adopting a transition of energy production through clean energy [2]. Moreover, at the Paris climate conference (COP21), held in December 2015, 195 countries signed the first binding global climate agreement. Their main commitment is directed towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse effects, with which it is intended to keep below 2 °C the increase in global average temperature [3]. Colombia is currently one of the countries that has ratified the Paris agreement and has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2030. As a first step, it has begun with the tax levy on a gallon of ACPM ($ 152 pesos), gasoline ($ 135 pesos) and liquefied petroleum gas ($ 95 pesos) and soon to kerosene, jet fuel and fuel oil. This tax will have an increase of 1% per year until the year 2050 [4]. The development of new techniques and technologies have reduced the cost of the implementation of photovoltaic solar energy [5]. One of these phenomena is the production of solar panel manufacturing in China. In addition to the decrease in the cost of polysilicon, the main component in the manufacture of solar panels, there is also an important improvement in the implementation of techniques that improve the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.