<![CDATA[The performance of photovoltaic panels is affected by the apparent movement of the sun, which causes the angle of solar radiation incidence on the panel surface to change throughout the day. One method to increase solar radiation capture is the implementation of a solar tracking system. However, most previous studies have focused only on improvements in power output and energy production without considering the energy consumption of the tracking mechanism. This study aims to evaluate the performance of a relay-based single-axis solar tracker applied to a 50 Wp photovoltaic panel by analyzing power enhancement, energy production, and net energy gain. The experiment was conducted in Lamangga Village, Baubau City, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, for five consecutive days from 6 to 10 August 2023 between 09:00 and 16:00 WITA. The evaluated parameters included output power, daily electrical energy, actuator energy consumption, energy improvement, and net energy gain. The results showed that the average output power of the fixed photovoltaic panel was 17.71 W, while the solar tracker system achieved an average power output of 22.45 W, representing an increase of 26.92%. The average daily energy generated by the fixed panel was 134.68 Wh, whereas the solar tracker produced 170.64 Wh per day. The actuator consumed 15.30 Wh per day during tracking operation. After accounting for actuator energy consumption, the system still achieved a net energy gain of 20.66 Wh per day, equivalent to 15.34%. These findings indicate that the relay-based single-axis solar tracker effectively improves solar energy utilization through a simple control system and relatively low implementation cost. Future studies are recommended to employ longer observation periods and direct solar irradiance measurements to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of system performance. Keywords: solar tracker, mechanical relay, photovoltaic panel, net energy gain, solar energy.]]>
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