Performance Analysis of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for PV Systems Under Real Meteorological Conditions

In this chapter, the performance of PV systems in terms of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is studied under the effect of different metrological conditions. Due to the obscurity and lack of credible solar irradiation information, it is important to estimate solar irradiation on horizontal and inclined surfaces by the use of a mathematical model, which considers meteorological data of the location under study. The proposed approach to develop this model is to estimate the global solar radiation on the inclined PV array, then dividing it into its main components. Each of the major metrological conditions affects the PV system performance by affecting a particular component of the total irradiance reaching it. This is thoroughly analyzed in detail in the sections of this chapter, mainly for partial shading conditions, angle of incidence, air mass, and dust. After that, the effect of each of the metrological conditions is modeled associated with a particular component of the global irradiance. Then, an aggregated irradiance model incorporating the effects of all the major metrological conditions is developed to show the reductions in the received irradiance and the generated power. Lastly, this chapter proposes an improved maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm with variable step size, which is suitable for multiple maximum power points occurring during partial shading conditions.