A PSO-based MPPT algorithm for photovoltaic systems subject to inhomogeneous insolation

Photovoltaic generation system (PGS) has become an attractive option among renewable energy sources because it is clean, maintenance-free and environmental friendly. For large PGS, the probability for partially shaded condition (PSC) to occur is high. Under PSC, when the entire array does not receive uniform insolation, the P-V curves of PGS get more complex, exhibiting multiple peaks. In this paper, a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based MPPT algorithm for PGS operating under PSC is proposed. The problem formulation and design procedure are described and explained in detail. The proposed method boasts the advantages such as easy to implement, system-independent and high tracking efficiency. To validate the correctness of the proposed method, simulation and experimental results of a 2 kW PGS will also be provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.