Solar Tracker-Rainfall Collector on Small-Scale Hybrid Photovoltaic-Pumped Hydro Systems to Increase Stored Energy

This paper proposes a solar tracker design as both a solar energy harvester and a rainwater collector on the hybrid of photovoltaic-pumped hydro storage (PV-PHS) system design in small scale, called a solar tracker-rainfall collector (STRC). The system proposed in this work is designed for implementation in a high-rise building. Increasing the storage energy of the PHS system is the objective of the system design in this study. The STRC system consists of six PV panels. During the day, when the sun is shining, the solar tracker works to harvest solar energy by positioning the panel according to the position of the sun. Meanwhile, during rainy or nighttime hours, the solar tracker configuration will form a funnel to collect rainwater so that it flows into the upper tank of the PHS system. Simulation results to validate the system design show that the PHS system with STRC is able to store 24.78% more total energy than the PHS system without STRC in a two-day test, with the average stored energy of the PHS system with STRC being 24.84% higher than the PHS system without STRC. Meanwhile, for a one-month test in January 2020, it was found that the total energy stored in the PHS system with STRC was 25.10% greater than in the PHS system without STRC, with the average stored energy in the PHS system with STRC increasing by 25% compared to the PHS system without STRC.