Improvement of a MPPT Algorithm for PV Systems and Its Experimental Validation

Abstract

The amount of power generated from a

photovoltaic (PV) system mainly depends on the following

factors, such as temperatures and solar irradiances. According

to the high cost and low efficiency of a PV system, it should

be operated at the maximum power point (MPP) which changes

with solar irradiances or load variations. This paper presents an

improved maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm of

a PV system under real climatic conditions. The proposed MPPT

is based on the perturbation and observation (P&O) strategy

and the variable step method that control the load voltage to

ensure optimal operating points of a PV system. The proposed

MPPT algorithm has been implemented by a dSPACE DSP

controller. The experimental results show that the PV power

system, using the proposed MPPT algorithm, is able to accurately

track maximum power points (with minimum steady-state power

oscillations) under rapid irradiance variations.