Maximum power point tracking techniques in photovoltaic systems: A brief review

The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems is increasingly growing in importance since they involve an exploitation of solar radiation constituting an energy source which is renewable, available in most places, and pollution-free. Despite their numerous advantages, PV systems have two major drawbacks: low energy conversion efficiency and loss of energy due to variations in meteorological conditions; for this reason, Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control techniques play a key role in exploiting the maximum energy caught by PV modules. This paper presents a brief review of the main MPPT strategies: general characteristics, advantages, and drawbacks of the proposed methods are discussed.