A comparative study between the most used MPPT methods and particle swarm optimization method for a standalone PV system under fast change in irradiance level.

Solar photovoltaics (PV) has demonstrated itself to be the most dependable, reliable solar energy source. The output power from solar cells is influenced by the temperature and solar radiation throughout the day, affecting the P-V curve characteristics. A maximum power tracking (MPPT) was achieved to extract maximum power from the PV panel. A comparative analysis between two traditional techniques, P&O and INC and a proposed PSO optimization technique is presented in this paper, based on MPPT efficiency, respond time, oscillation, and its capability to hunt maximum power point (MPP) under changes in irradiance condition and fixed constant temperature at 25°C. These different MPPT algorithms were implemented in MATLAB / Simulink to control the duty cycle of the dc-dc boost converter. Particle swarm optimization has been proven to be more effective than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]