Photovoltaic Systems Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms

Abstract The power delivered by a photovoltaic cell generator depends on the operating point at which this works. In order to maximize the energy supplied by the PV system, the generator should be adapted to the load so that the operating point will always correspond to the maximum power point. Usually, when a PV module is connected directly to a load, its operating point is rarely at the maximum power point. The operating principle of the maximum power point tracking is to place a converter between the load and the PV array, to adjust the output voltage and the current of the PV array so that the maximum available power is extracted. In most cases the optimal algorithm is chosen according to several criteria, such as: implementation complexity (autonomy of the systems, connected to the network), the type and number of sensors needed, the ability of the algorithm to detect local maximum points, cost, response time, type of implementation (analog, digital, mixed).