International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET)
e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 11 | Nov 2025
p-ISSN: 2395-0072
www.irjet.net
Automatic Sun Tracking Solar Panel Powered Smart Irrigation System Aparna Shendkar1, Rohan Sonwane2, Dhiraj Rathod3, Divita Rao4, Abhay Rajankar5, Sumit Rajput6, Ritika Ray7 1 Professor, Dept. of Engineering Science and Humanities, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology College,
Maharashtra, India
2,3,4,5,6,7Student ,Dept of Instrumentation and Control, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology College, Maharashtra,
India ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------more efficient and sustainable. Among the many problems Abstract - The current research provides a low budget, facing modern farming, managing irrigation well is very important for growing crops, saving water, and using energy more efficiently for the process. The majority of common irrigation techniques are carried out manually or according to predetermined schedules, which ignore variations in soil moisture, weather, and crop water requirements. As a result, crops grow less, water is wasted, nutrients are washed away, and either too much or too little water is applied. Furthermore, most irrigation pumps are powered by grid electricity or fuels, which are costly and release hazardous gases, especially on farms that are isolated or disconnected from the grid. We therefore urgently need water systems that can use clean energy to help preserve the environment and automatically determine how much water to use based on the condition of the soil. Energy from the sun, which is pure, abundant, and can be used again, is a great way to provide power to the water pump which also helps the environment. Solar power can be converted into electricity with solar panels to run water pumps without using fuels, this will save money on electricity bills. The majority of solar-powered watering systems only receive a small amount of sunlight throughout the day because they are powered by stationary solar panels. These panels are typically positioned at a particular angle, which is ideal for the sun's typical location, but they cannot follow the sun's path across the sky. They are unable to collect as much energy as they could as a result, which reduces the overall effectiveness of the watering system. In order to address this, solar trackers were developed, which modify the solar panels' orientation to maximize solar absorption. Trackers that move panels on one side, normally from east to west, can get about 25% to 35% more power than panels that are stuck at a single place. Another idea would be two add two trackers on both sides, but they are more expensive and harder to handle. Using sun-following devices in watering systems can really boost how much sunlight is gathered, which lets the water machines work longer and makes watering more steady Not long ago, fresh sensor methods and small computer chips have made it simpler to create clever watering arrangements that respond to real-time environmental conditions. For example, soil-moisture sensors can measure how much water is present near the plant roots. When connected to a controller such as an Arduino or Raspberry Pi, these
energy-conserving single-axis sun- tracking solar-powered automatic irrigation system. Traditional irrigation methods that use a lot of water and energy because they are often ineffective, time-consuming, and dependent on nonrenewable energy sources. The suggested system uses an Arduino microcontroller and capacitive soil moisture sensors to track soil conditions in real time. Using an Arduino microcontroller and capacitive soil moisture sensors, the suggested system continuously monitors soil conditions. The system automatically turns on a water pump to deliver precise, timely irrigation when the moisture content falls below a preset threshold. The addition of a solar tracking system, which uses servo motors and LDRs to tilt the orientation of the photovoltaic (PV) panel, is one noteworthy innovation. This captures up to 65% more energy than static panels, and it performs best in the middle of the day. Energy harvested is fed into a 12V battery, making the system continuously available and off- grid. Field tests for 72 hours demonstrated the pump worked at 75% efficiency, keeping the soil moisture level within ±5% of the ideal range. The system saved 29% of energy compared to traditional methods and kept wastage of water to a minimum. Its modularity and low-cost components make it applicable in small- to medium-scale farms. Drawbacks are lower efficiency on cloudy days and limited scalability to larger farms. Future development promises dual-axis tracking, IoT- based remote monitoring, and AI-based predictive irrigation. This research proves the possibility of integrating automation with sensor- aided solar tracking to make farming more sustainable. Key Words: Smart irrigation, solar tracking, Arduino, soil moisture sensor, automation, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, IoT-based monitoring, energy efficiency, water conservation
1.INTRODUCTION Farming is still the basis of most economies around the world, giving jobs and food to billions of people. However, it also uses a lot of resources, like about 70% of the world's fresh water and lots of energy in rural areas. Because the world's population is growing and climate change is getting worse, we really need to make farming
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