Recent developments in maximum power point tracking technologies for photovoltaic systems

Abstract

In photovoltaic (PV) system applications, it is very important to design a system for operating of the solar cells (SCs) under best conditions and highest efficiency. Maximum power point (MPP) varies depending on the angle of sunlight on the surface of the panel and cell temperature. Hence, the operating point of the load is not always MPP of PV system. Therefore, in order to supply reliable energy to the load, PV systems are designed to include more than the required number of modules. The solution to this problem is that switching power converters are used, that is called maximum power point tracker (MPPT). In this study, the various aspects of these algorithms have been analyzed in detail. Classifications, definitions, and basic equations of the most widely used MPPT technologies are given. Moreover, a comparison was made in the conclusion. Copyright 2010 Nevzat Onat.