Comparison of the maximum power point tracking algorithms with hybrid method that uses a light sensor in the real shading conditions

Abstract

Solar panels have nonlinear output characteristics. Therefore, there must be used a special device called the maximum power point tracker to track the voltage or the current value where the output power of the solar panel is highest. This point is called the maximum power point (MPP). Additionally, the panel consists of few parallel or series connected solar modules. To avoid negative impact of partial shading conditions, bypass diodes are used. This can complicate the detection of the maximum power point in partial shading conditions. When a solar panel is illuminated irregularly on the output characteristics the local maximum power points appear. Only one of them is the global maximum power point. There are plenty of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms in literature which are different in complexity or principle of operation. Most of commonly used methods can track only one point that is close to the current working point. There are some hybrid methods that can track the global maximum power point. These methods use the regular maximum power point tracking algorithm combined with an additional sub-procedure to calculate the position of the global maximum power point.