Hybrid incremental conductance MPPT with a fuzzy duty cycle's tuning

The energy produced by each photovoltaic cell depends on many attraction factors, called influence quantities. They include orientation and inclination of the solar panel, the temperature, the global irradiation, etc…. Solar irradiation that hits the photovoltaic modules has a variable character depending on the latitude and the orientation of the solar field corresponding to considered hour and season. As per this, it is necessary to identify instant by instant that particular point at which the PV module generates the maximum amount of power transferred to the load. The aim of this paper is to evaluate a hybrid methodology focusing Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and based on an incremental conductance program where the duty cycle is tuned using a fuzzy logic estimator. It has been demonstrated that the proposed technique has the capacity to ensure a maximum power transfer between the PV generator and the load, under fast-changing solar irradiation level. These results are confirmed by a complete Matlab/Simulink model where a Sun power SPR-305-WHT is connected to the load through a controlled Cuk DC-DC converter.