Optimal control for solar tracking systems

Abstract

The efficiency of a photovoltaic system can be measured throughout the possibility of delivering maximum power to the end customer. The main objective of the current research is to propose an optimal solar tracking control system used to attain and to maintain the maximum specified power. A mathematical model for a variable oriented photovoltaic panel will be determined. Further, the electrical model of a real photovoltaic panel will be introduced in order to compute the associated maximum power setpoint. Afterward, for the defined model an optimal controller will be designed, in order to attain and to maintain the setpoint for the solar tracking system. The proposed approach will be validated through simulation, in MATLAB/Simulink.