Performance analysis of maximum power point tracking algorithms for grid connected PV system

Compared to the conventional energy resources, photovoltaic systems (PVs) widely uses the solar energy to produce electricity considered as one of the renewable energies available having a considerable potential and developing increasingly fast as compared to its counterparts of renewable energies. Such systems can be as either stand-alone or connected to utility grid. But generally, the disadvantage is that solar PV array depends on variable weather conditions. That´s why solar panels show a nonlinear voltage-current characteristic, with a distinct maximum power point (MPP), which depends on the environmental factors, such as temperature and irradiation/insolation. In order to continuously harvest maximum power from the solar panels, they have to operate at their MPP with the unavoidable and inescapable changes in the environment. In this paper, performance analysis of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms for a grid connected PV system has been discussed. The MPPT techniques considered in the proposed work are Perturb & Observe (PO), Incremental Conductance (IC) and PI controller. The simulations carried out for PV array cascaded with boost converter and utility grid. The results in terms of maximum power tracking capability investigated at the utility grid.