A MPPT approach based on temperature measurements applied in PV systems

Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPT) are quite required in order to maximize the extracted power from photovoltaic (PV) generators. Since the PV module output power depends on environmental conditions, the tracking algorithm must ensure velocity and accuracy. Traditionally, methods like Constant Voltage, Perturb and Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IncCond) are widely employed and the choice from one or other depends on static and dynamic tracking features. This paper presents a method based on temperature measurements, in which the PV module surface temperature is uses to determine the maximum power point voltage. This technique is only possible because the voltage across the PV module terminals is directly related with the surface temperature. The proposed scheme allows simplicity, velocity and accuracy. Theoretical, simulation and experimental results are presented to validate the concepts.