A Novel Approach to Fast Determining the Maximum Power Point Based on Photovoltaic Panel’s Datasheet

This study proposes a novel approach to fast and direct determination of the Maximum Power Point (MPP) at any value of solar irradiation and cell temperature, without applying further mathematical processing to operate at that point. The current approach aims to reduce algorithm complexity, time consumption during the iteration, and oscillation to reach the point at which the panel generates maximum possible power. For avoiding or eliminating these drawbacks, the chopper duty cycle (D) at which the panel-generated power should be the maximum is determined using the panel datasheet with respect to voltage and power at different irradiation rates (G). Mathematical equations are derived for MPP voltage and power at any value of solar irradiation using the manufacturer Photovoltaic (PV) specification. The simulation results obtained by MATLAB/SIMULINK platform showed that the power had a linear change, while the voltage had a nonlinear one with narrow variations.  The yield duty cycle controls the Modified Single Ended Primary Converter (MSEPIC) that regulates the load voltage through a wide range below and above the rated panel voltage. The simulation results showed the fast response of chopper operation with a negligible starting time required by the MPPT algorithm, no duty cycle oscillation, and shorter iteration time. Furthermore, the conducted approach is validated based on the data published in a reputed journal, and the obtained results gave rise to new aspects that helped reduce dependency on conventional MPPT algorithms and, consequently, enhance the system response, efficiency and cost reduction.