Efficient global peak tracking of PV system under mismatching conditions using searching technique and bisection method

Rapidly increasing energy demand is leading to increase in installation of photovoltaic (PV) plants across the globe. The PV modules are subjected to various conditions like shading, soiling and degradation because of which the performance of PV panels deteriorates. This will affect the characteristics of PV module which may lead to several stairs in I-V curves and several peaks in P-V curve. In this paper the various causes of occurrences of mismatching conditions are analyzed. An efficient two stage algorithm that tracks global maximum power point (GMPP) accurately under such mismatching conditions is proposed in the paper. In the first stage, a simple searching technique and bisection method are used to bring the operating point to the proximity of global maximum. In the second stage, hill climbing method maintains the operating point at global peak. MATLAB Simulations and experimental verifications are performed for validating the proposed approach.