Fiabilitate si Durabilitate - Fiability & Durability No 1/ 2018 Editura “Academica Brâncuşi” , Târgu Jiu, ISSN 1844 – 640X 333 CONTROL SYSTEM FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS TRACKER Assoc. Prof. PhD. Florin GROFU, ―Constantin Brâncusi‖ University of Târgu Jiu, Romania ABSTRACT: Using photovoltaic panels to produce electricity is one of modern solutions to replace energy production based on fossil fuels. Photovoltaic panels with modern energy storage systems can ensure energy independence of individual houses. In order to improve the power output from the solar photovoltaic panels modules, a sun tracking system is generally implemented. Such sun tracking systems use sensors that track sun rays falling from the sun on the solar photovoltaic panels. These sensors allow exact determination of the position of the sun so that the sun rays incident on the solar panel strikes in perpendicular orientation to ensure maximum utilization of solar energy for electricity generation. In this paper it is proposed a control system for a dual axis sun tracker used to automatic or remote position control of the photovoltaic panels. Automatic or manual control together a efficiency test system for photovoltaic panels and a system for monitoring meteorological parameters makes this system to be very useful in any testing laborator of methods for produce energy from renewable sources. The proposed system will be able to test advantages and disadvantages of the mobile and fixed solar tracker system. Keywords: photovoltaic panels, energy, tracking system, automatic or manual positioning 1. Introduction Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources, which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves, and geothermal heat. [1]. Based on REN21's 2016 report, renewables contributed 19.2% to humans' global energy consumption and 23.7% to their generation of electricity in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, is harnessed using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating, photovoltaics, concentrated solar power (CSP), concentrator photovoltaics (CPV), solar architecture and artificial photosynthesis.[3],[4] Worldwide growth of photovoltaics has been fitting an exponential curve for more than two decades. Statement of global production of electricity using photovoltaic in the past decade is shown [5] in figure 1. During this period of time, photovoltaics , also known as solar PV, has evolved from a pure niche market of small scale applications towards becoming a mainstream electricity source. Figure 1. Global production of electricity using photovoltaic