Hybrid maximum power point tracking technique based on PSO and incremental conductance

This paper presents a control method proposed for power optimization in photovoltaic system. This is to ensure that power generated is maximized under different conditions. Due to partial shading conditions, the power-voltage characteristics exhibit multiple local maxima; one of such phenomena is the global maximum. Such conditions are very challenging for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique to locate the global maximum. Many tracking algorithms have been proposed for this purpose. One of the most commonly used techniques is the incremental conductance. In this paper, a hybrid MPPT technique combining particle swarm optimization and incremental conductance for photovoltaic system is proposed. Initially, the incremental conductance method is employed to locate the nearest local maximum; then, the PSO method is used to search for the global maximum point. The advantage of using the proposed hybrid method is that the searching area of the PSO is reduced, and hence, the time that is required for convergence greatly reduced. The excellent performance of the proposed method is verified by comparing it against the conventional PSO method using simulation model. The results show better response time of the proposed system.