Investigations on solar pv fed converter systems with maximum power point tracking

Abstract

Renewable energy has transpired as an alternative source of energy. Its share of total energy consumption is on the increase. Growth in consumption of coal and oil could end by 2020 due to increased uptake of renewable and natural gases. Renewable energy resources exist over wide geographical areas, in contrast to other energy sources, which are concentrated only in a few countries. Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency is resulting in significant energy security, climate change mitigation, and economic benefits. International public opinion surveys show strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power. The main objective of this research work is to investigate Solar Photovoltaic (PV) fed converter systems with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). Photovoltaic modules are mostly placed in outdoor environment. The presence of buildings trees and other obstacles has caused exposure of modules to non-uniform irradiation causing Partial shading condition (PSC). Under Partial shading condition, the characteristic of PV curve shows multiple peaks, causing convergence onto a Local MPP rather than the Global MPP. Generally a MPPT scheme is adopted for the extraction of the maximum power under varying conditions. It has been reported that under PSC, power losses incurred with conventional MPPT techniques may be up to 70%.Therefore it is necessary to track the global MPP effectively in order to maximize the efficiency under Partial shading condition. The application of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique enhances the maximum power from the solar photovoltaic systems under partial shading condition through efficient tracking of the power and attainment of better results compared with the existing methods. newline