Comparison of intelligent and conventional MPPT algorithms for PhotoVoltaic system under partially shaded conditions

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is required to track maximum power of a Solar Photovoltaic energy conversion system. The performance of Photovoltaic (PV) Array declines during Partially Shaded Conditions (PSC), they exhibit multiple Local Maximum Power Points (LMPP's) along with Global Maximum Power Point (GMPP) in its power-voltage (P-V) and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. In this paper, Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) based intelligent MPPT algorithm has been presented to track GMPP under partially shaded condition and varying irradiation level. The performance of FLC based intelligent MPPT is compared with conventional Perturb and Observe (P&O) under these conditions. The PV Array model equipped with the MPPT controller was designed and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. MATLAB/Simulation results show aggrandized PV array's extracted output power under non-uniform irradiation due to partial shading. Also, the Fuzzy Logic Controller can track MPP in a shorter time with less oscillation.