Development of a Lab VIEW Interface to Maximize the Photovoltaic Power under Different Outdoor Conditions

The provided power of photovoltaic arrays is controlled by solar radiation and temperature, as these parameters influence the electrical characteristics (I_pv-V_pv) of solar cells. In this paper, three different methods are employed to characterize a PV panel under different outdoor conditions. A simulation approach using Matlab/Simulink is first put to use. The second one is the standard experimental voltage method and the third one operates with LabView software. The latter method is based on an electronic circuit to test PV modules. All details of the electronic schemes are presented, and obtained results for the three methods under different meteorological conditions are presented and compared. The proposed method of characterization under LabViewis very efficient to test and measure electrical characteristic curves of photovoltaic panels. A Perturb & Observe (P&O) optimization method is also applied under varying temperature and irradiance conditions as well as with the presence of shading.