Efficiency Enhancement of a Solar Power Plant Using Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques

Due to the low cost, simple implementation, precise results and without any update-the MPPT algorithms using various techniques have witnessed the double-digit growth in terms of efficiency in the recent researches especially for solar photovoltaic power plants. MPPT is having such an importance as optimization field for the SPV systems. The purpose of MPPT is to improve and optimize the use of the SPV systems and to maximize the solar array efficiency to generate the maximum power output. With the varying atmospheric conditions, temperature and solar irradiance fluctuations, the PV panel characteristics exhibit a non-linear graphical representation thereby affecting the efficiency. In order to achieve the maximum efficiency, it requires utilizing the best of the available solar radiations/energy from a site by applying the various MPPT techniques. Out of 40 old and new available methods only seven most prominently used these days are proposed and also illustrated with their suitable flowcharts, block diagrams and algorithms. The paper is quite handy for a researcher to choose any of these proposed methods depending upon his requirement and application.