Improved voltage scanning algorithm based MPPT algorithm for PV systems under partial shading conduction

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms are crucial for maximizing power extraction from photovoltaic (PV) systems. Traditional MPPT methods often exhibit suboptimal performance under partial shading conditions. Hence, advanced MPPT algorithms have been developed to enhance efficiency in such scenarios. The voltage scanning-based MPPT algorithm is notable for its superior performance under partial shading, characterized by high tracking speed and efficiency. This study introduces a novel enhancement to this method—namely, a voltage skipping algorithm designed to further improve tracking speed. Unlike conventional scanning techniques, this approach dynamically calculates skipping voltages during operation, eliminating the need for prior knowledge of PV panel characteristics. Performance evaluation was conducted using a MATLAB/Simulink model of a PV system comprising 4 series panels and a boost converter, subjected to simulations under 5 distinct partial shading scenarios. Comparative analyses with established optimization algorithms such as particle swarm optimization, cuckoo search algorithm, and grey wolf optimization highlight the proposed method's effectiveness in terms of tracking speed and maximum power output. The proposed algorithm has worked with high efficiency of 99.28 %, 99.61 %, 99.13 %, 99.16 % and 99.58 % in 5 different scenarios, respectively. By using the proposed method, a significant superiority has been achieved over other methods, with tracking speeds of 0.26s, 0.22s, 0.2s, 0.22s and 0.26s, respectively.