Partial Energy Harvesting Study of Solar Energy in a Microworld by Artificial Illumination

Abstract

Renewable energy is of significant focus in modern times as the world climate change attracts attention. The study explores the energy harvest and the energy remaining in a solar energy harvesting cage in terms of light intensity and developed voltage. A miniature solar cage has been modelled and built for the study. The dynamic nature of weather posed a challenge in studying the impact on the availability of illumination inside the cage. Therefore, a controlled environment, by artificial lighting, has been adopted. Owing to the minimal presence of background or indirect light, a significant reduction of illumination has been observed for a low level of illumination inside the cage. This reduction can be translated to sustainable energy harvesting and the minimum energy needed for plant growth.