Simulation of maximum power point tracking for photovoltaic systems

A photovoltaic (PV) solar panels exhibit non-linear current-voltage characteristics, and according to the maximum power transform (MPT) theory, it can produce maximum power at only one particular operating point (OP), namely, when the source impedance matches with the load impedance, a match which cannot be guaranteed spontaneously. Furthermore, the maximum power point (MPP) changes with temperature and light intensity variations. Therefore, different algorithms have been developed for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) based on offline and online methods. Evaluating the performance of these algorithms for various PV systems operating under highly dynamic environments are essentials to ensure a reliable, efficient, cost-effective, and high performance systems. One possible approach for system evaluation is to use computer simulation. This paper addresses the use of MATLAB software as a simulation tool for evaluating the performance of MPPT for PV systems.