Maximum power point monitor

A measuring system of output characteristics of photovoltaic panels is described. This system is implemented as a maximum power point monitor (MPPM) that quasi-instantaneously determines the photovoltaic generator. This information is then used to compute the overall efficiency of the plant defined as the ratio of its output power to the maximum available photovoltaic power. In this way the performance of the maximum power point tracker and of the entire plant can be precisely evaluated under widely varying operating conditions. The MPPM is an efficient development and control tool, particularly useful when different maximum power point tracking strategies are being compared. It is intended primarily for battery chargers and, generally, for DC-DC power converters but can easily be adapted for use with inverters.<>