Abstract:
Jul Herianto Aruan. 2025. "Design of a Sun Tracking System as an AlternativeEnergy Source for the Navigation Light of Ship MT. AKRA 103" The sun tracking system is a device that utilizes solar panels which can followthemovement of the sun to optimize the absorption of solar energy that will be convertedinto electrical energy. On the MT. AKRA 103 vessel, the main source of electrical
energy on board is a generator that uses fossil fuel, which has the potential tocauseenvironmental damage. This research aims to design a single-axis solar trackingsystemusing LDR, INA219, and MAX6675 sensors, based on an ESP32 microcontroller andthe Internet of Things (IoT) platform to provide an alternative energy source onboardfor the ship’s navigation light. The system is designed to monitor Voltage, Current, Power, Angle, and Temperature parameters in real-time, with data output displayedthrough an LCD and the Blynk application on a smartphone. The research methodusedis Research and Development (R&D), starting from design, assembly, testing, andtool
validation. Test results show that the system is capable of providing accurateandresponsive data and can follow the sun’s movement. This system is expected toimprovethe ef iciency of solar energy collection and serve as a new, environmentally friendlyalternative energy source to replace fossil fuel on ships, while also increasingcost
ef iciency.
