Maximizing Solar Energy Output: The Role of Physics in Solar Tracker Design

[zaf]

Being a Physics undergraduate student, I'm doing my final year dissertation on a solar tracker which dynamically tracks the sun at all times and gives the maximum pd from a solar panel. However, I'm faced with a problem that I'm having problems to resolve!
My project supervisor tells me that there are not enough 'Physics' in this project in the sense that all the facts about PV cells are known and the solar tracker's circuit is an electronic engineering problem which is readily available via the web!

So, can anyone help me of how to counter this problem? I need something concrete that will lay emphasis on the Physics of the solar tracker because I'm a Physics student, not an Electronic and Electric Engineering student.
I hope that I'll receive quality replies from anyone that has a profound knowledge on the subject!
Regards,
zaf

 

[Vanadium 50]

Isn't your advisor right? Is there time to pick another project?

When I was an undergrad, a thesis was required, but not necessarily in my deparment. So I could use a EE thesis for a physics degree. That might be an option for you.

 

[zaf]

I'm afraid that this might not be an option for me because our department is not associated in any means to the EE department! I've done some pretty research on this project, so if I change, I'll have to start from zero and start everything afresh!

I'm considering of improving the system and instead of making the tracker ONLY from PV cells, I'm thinking of adding a water pipe so that water can be heater and thus making the project more 'PHYSICal'. New ideas are welcomed on how to add Physics to the project.
Thanks you for your prompt answer...

 

[Phlogistonian]

You have a crude solar telescope. You might be able to spin something off of that.

Or you could replace the solar panels with a proper solar telescope and study sunspots or the corona or some other property of the sun.