A new adaptive MPPT design for photovoltaic system under real outdoor conditions

Abstract

Renewable energy, especially solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, have been widely integrated into energy systems, indeed, this technology is eco-friendly and available almost everywhere. However, these systems exhibit some challenges in regards their performance. They must always track the maximum power point (MPP) to provide the highest power. This work investigates a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) procedure. In the suggested tracking system, a novel controller is applied to establish different operating regions. In both regions, the step is changed depending on the closeness to the MPP. Due to this technique, some disadvantages of the incremental conductance (IncCond) approach are avoided. The proposed method offers reliable and stable behaviour under rapidly changing atmospheric conditions. Moreover, it is easy as it does not need additional sensors. The theoretical assessment discussed in this investigation is validated by simulations via MATLAB/Simulink and experimental outdoor tests. A comparison with conventional MPPT approach is provided to emphasize the performance of the developed MPPT technique.