PROPOSED AREA OF RESEARCH

MAXIMUM POWER POINT TRACKING UNDER PARTIAL SHADING CONDITIONS

FOR SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

Photovoltaic (PV) technology obtained interests from governments and private sectors around
the world through cost deduction and environmentally friendly gain. The key factor involved in
photovoltaic activity is the degree of solar irradiation that affects the amount of power produced
directly, specifically where partial shading happens, blockage creates less irradiation obtained by
photovoltaic and, in series, the power generated is decreased. Photovoltaic (PV) power generation
systems are run at the maximum point of power (MPP) under differing atmospheric conditions for
optimum use of solar energy, and MPP monitoring is usually accomplished using many traditional
methods. MPPT devices are used to control MPP from the solar modules automatically considering
irradiance level, temperature level and partial shading.

Nonetheless, when partial shading happens in a PV system, the resulting Power – Voltage
curve (P –V) displays multiple peaks and conventional approaches that do not necessarily need to
guarantee convergence to true MPP. MPPT using incremental-conductance (INC), perturbation and
observation (P&O) process is quick and fast to implement. However, the P&O approach yields two
drawbacks under rapid atmospheric transition, namely power oscillation at maximum power point
(MPP) and MPP divergence. INC approach also generates the same problem as P & O MPPT process.
Fuzzy logic controller approach offers certain advantages such as rapid MPP convergence and MPP
minimal oscillation. However, the modern Fuzzy Logic Controller has complex operating rules. In
traditional fuzzy logic controller, the complexity of changing and tuning control rules arises because
of complicated operating laws. Due to this above mentioned problems, Harmony Search Algorithm
(HSA) for Global MPP (GMPP) monitoring under in-homogenous insolation conditions is suggested
here for optimizing the duty cycle parameters in order to increase the power management in MPPT.

References:

1. Javed, Kashif, Haroon Ashfaq, and Rajveer Singh. "A new simple MPPT algorithm to track
MPP under partial shading for solar photovoltaic systems." International Journal of Green
Energy 17.1 (2020): 48-61.
2. Kalogerakis, Christos, Eftichis Koutroulis, and Michail G. Lagoudakis. "Global MPPT Based
on Machine-Learning for PV Arrays Operating under Partial Shading Conditions." Applied
Sciences 10.2 (2020): 700.
3. Joisher, Mansi, et al. "A Hybrid Evolutionary-Based MPPT for Photovoltaic Systems Under
Partial Shading Conditions." IEEE Access 8 (2020): 38481-38492.