Modified flower pollination algorithm for an off-grid solar photovoltaic system

Abstract

This Operating the solar photovoltaic (PV) system at its maximum power point (MPP) under numerous environmental conditions to extract the maximum power is a challenging task. The challenge is to track the MPP, especially under partial shading conditions (PSC), where the formation of multiple MPP occurs in the characteristic curve of a PV array. Nevertheless, achieving this would benefit us with optimal power production, reducing the payback time and initial cost of the PV system. To perform this duty, an electronic circuit ruled by an algorithm is employed. The MPP tracking (MPPT) algorithms can be categorized into conventional and nature inspired. The conventional algorithms can successfully track the MPP under uniform weather conditions (UWC), and unable to identify the global MPP (GMPP) under PSC. However, the nature inspired algorithms possess the ability to perform efficiently under all weather conditions. Considering this strength of nature inspired algorithms, one of the top performing algorithms named as Flower pollination algorithm (FPA) is selected based on its brilliant searching strategy in adjacent and distant locations. In this paper, some structural modifications have been proposed in the FPA to further improve its searching capability and get more quick, accurate and efficient results for the MPPT of solar PV system. Results have proven the superiority of the proposed Modified FPA (MFPA) over the FPA in terms of efficiency, accuracy, tracking speed, energy conservation, economic saving, and payback time. Simulation is performed in MATLAB/Simulink.

Experimental Investigation of efficiency enhancement in Solar Photovoltaic Systems under Partial Shading Conditions using Discrete Time Slime Mould Optimization

“…On substituting the parametric values, the final closed-loop controlled transfer function is given as (14),…”

“…The most important contribution of this article is to inter-relate the dynamics of the buck converter and the perturbations in PV due to the occurrence of PSC. From the sub-section 2.2, the discrete PID controller will be the heart of handling the output voltage dynamics and adjust the duty cycle based on the transfer function (14).…”

“…An elaborated SWOT analysis have been discussed in [6] with technical justifications, which reviewed the performance of conventional MPPT and softcomputing based MPPT techniques. In summary, recent developments of soft-computing based MPPT algorithms in PSC like Fuzzy Logic Control (FLC) , Sliding Mode Control (SMC) [7], Artificial Neural Network (ANN) [8], Genetic Algorithm (GA) [9], Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) [10], Cuckoo Search (CS) [11], Ant Colony(ACO) and Artificial Bee Optimization (ABO) [12], Random Search (RSM), Differential Evolution (DE) [13], Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) [9], Flower Pollination (FPA) [14] are discussed in the literature.…”

Performance analysis of PVSyst based grid connected photovoltaic systems in Pakistan compared to SAARC countries

“…Given that solar irradiation is inconsistent and unavailable at night, grid-tied solar technology is one of the most dependable ways to meet user load requirements. It supplies electricity to consumers throughout the day and uses a grid-tie mechanism to export excess energy to the grid [9,10]. Solar cell power generation is direct dependent on the sun irradiance on collector plane and inverse in relation with the temperature, high temperature decreases the efficiency of solar cell [11,12].…”

Ordering Technique for the Maximum Power Point Tracking of an Islanded Solar Photovoltaic System

“…[3]. Whereas solar photovoltaic (PV) technology directly converts sunlight into electrical energy using the photoelectric effect, which makes it the most attractive and simple energy generation technology [4,5]. Solar PV has hot research gaps to fill that include, PV cells' material efficiency, maximum power point tracking efficiency, and speed.…”