Switch -based reconfigurable Photovoltaic array for power maximization

It is well-known that shadow effects or faulty cells in Photovoltaic (PV) module results into reduced current, consequently, lowering output power. Some approaches are reported in literature to deal with this problem. The incorporation of bypass diodes in PV module addresses this problem up to certain extent. But, it introduces multiple peaks in P-V characteristics. Due to this, MPPT (maximum power point tracking) algorithms fail to track and obtain maximum possible power from the PV systems. In this paper, a new technique is proposed which uses triggerable switch in place of bypass diode to handle shadow effects and faulty PV cells.