Optimization of Neuro-controller Application for Maximum Power Point Tracking Photovoltaic Systems Through Shannon’s Information Criteria

Abstract

Due to the extremely poor efficiency of solar energy, researchers created various maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Because of their propensity to address complex problems and their non-linear characteristics, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) algorithms are the most frequently used among these MPPT techniques. Nevertheless, the performance of the ANN-based MPP tracking algorithms is contingent upon various factors, including the choice of activation function, the quantity of hidden neurons, and the training algorithm employed. Shannon’s Information Criteria (SIC) is used to determine the optimal number of hidden neurons within a single hidden layer for the neuro-controller application. In this regard, a two-layer Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN) was trained using MATLAB/Simulink software, incorporating varying numbers of hidden neurons. The results indicate that the two-layer FFNN with five hidden neurons has the highest performance, as demonstrated by the lowest Mean Squared Error (MSE) of 4.03 × 10-9, which is statistically significant. The successful incorporation of Gaussian noise in the simulation of an 85 kW PV system demonstrates that the ANN-based MPPT algorithm is both theoretically robust and practically viable and reliable for enhancing the efficiency of solar PV systems in real-world scenarios.