Fast Online Parameter Identification for Current Source Operated PV Modules in DC Microgrids

This paper presents a non-iterative online approach to identify the modeling parameters of a photovoltaic (PV) module. It is motivated by the fact that accurate and reliable modeling of distributed energy resources (DERs) in DC Microgrids improves their stability and efficiency under a wide range of operational conditions. In particular, the case where PV modules are used as DERs in their current-source region is considered. The proposed method addresses the limitations associated with parameter identification in these settings. Specifically, the method works under varying temperature and insolation conditions relying only on current and voltage sensors that already exist in the power electronic converters tying the PV DER to the Microgrid. Also, its algorithm is practical and reliable as it does not rely on a priori knowledge or an initial guess, and it is non-iterative, so it does not risk divergence (or require proof of convergence) as other iterative algorithms. Moreover, it is both fast and of a low computational complexity, which enables its implementation on microcontrollers within PV DER systems. The development of this method is detailed in the paper along with its application steps to facilitate its adoption. Furthermore, an experimental setup was used to test the proposed method under different ambient conditions and demonstrated its efficacy with algorithm execution times of under 1 second and high modeling accuracy on a microcontroller.