Optimizing solar energy efficiency with an improved hill-climbing maximum power point tracking control approach: hardware implementation

Abstract This article implements maximum power point tracking (MPPT) based on the improved hill-climbing algorithm for photovoltaic (PV) systems feeding resistive loads. A direct current-to-direct current boost converter is inserted between the PV system and the load to achieve matching. The converter is managed using MPPT based on the hill-climbing algorithm. The objective of this paper is to optimize the code program to achieve the best compromise between accuracy and rapidity by implementing this algorithm using a microcontroller. Two PV systems are tested under identical meteorological conditions. In the first, an improved hill-climbing MPPT controller is used whereas, in the second, the conventional version is employed. The experimental results obtained show a significant enhancement in terms of speed for the improved algorithm with a value of 0.4 s for the response time and 3% for the oscillation power; those values remain satisfactory in terms of precision of the algorithm compared with the conventional system studied and the compared algorithm from the literature. Maximum power point tracking based on the improved hill-climbing algorithm is implemented for a photovoltaic system feeding a resistive load. A direct current-to-direct current boost converter is inserted between the PV system and the load to achieve matching. Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract