Solar energy is certainly an energy source worth exploring and utilizing because of the\nenvironmental protection it offers. However, the conversion efficiency of solar energy is still low.\nIf the photovoltaic panel perpendicularly tracks the sun, the solar energy conversion efficiency will\nbe improved. In this article, we propose an innovative method to track the sun using an image sensor.\nIn our method, it is logical to assume the points of the brightest region in the sky image representing\nthe location of the sun. Then, the center of the brightest region is assumed to be the solar-center,\nand is mathematically calculated using an embedded processor (Raspberry Pi). Finally, the location\ninformation on the sun center is sent to the embedded processor to control two servo motors that are\ncapable of moving both horizontally and vertically to track the sun. In comparison with the existing\nsun tracking methods using image sensors, such as the Hough transform method, our method based\non the brightest region in the sky image remains accurate under conditions such as a sunny day\nand building shelter. The practical sun tracking system using our method was implemented and\ntested. The results reveal that the system successfully captured the real sun center in most weather\nconditions, and the servo motor system was able to direct the photovoltaic panel perpendicularly\nto the sun center. In addition, our system can be easily and practically integrated, and can operate\nin real-time.
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