A new microcontroller based solar energy conversion modular unit

Abstract

This paper presents the design and the implementation of a new microcontroller-based solar energy conversion modular unit. The unit consists of an array of solar panels, a step-up chopper, a single-phase inverter, an AC mains power source and a microcontroller-based control unit. The novelty of this unit is that the switching device of the chopper is not only used for power conversion but also for maximum power point (MPP) detection. In existing MPP trackers, the MPP is detected by hardware. The parameters of such hardware are subject to changes of environmental conditions. In the new unit, the MPP is determined by a simple embedded software. With this new approach the modularization of the conversion from solar power to electric power at its maximum power point can be made more compact and more reliable.