Designing a novel MPPT algorithm based on the extraterrestrial irradiance for photovoltaic energy generation systems and testing under partial shade conditions

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are widely used in the generation of electricity from solar radiation. To improve the efficiency of PV energy generation systems, the PV panels should operate at around the maximum power point (MPP), which can be provided by maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms. In the present study, we designed a novel MPPT algorithm that has less complexity and low computation load than existing traditional MPPT algorithms and that starts to track near the MPP. The proposed algorithm takes extraterrestrial irradiances into account when defining operation points close to MPP. The MPP parameters were computed using datasheet information of the PV panel to achieve a low computation load. The proposed algorithm was tested for efficiency and performance under different scenarios, including partial shade conditions, against the Perturb & Observe (P&O) algorithm. The test results showed that the proposed algorithm outperformed the P&O algorithm.