Evaluation of Energy Harvest Increase by Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking

This paper presents an evaluation of using Distributed Maximum Power Point Tracking (DMPPT) architecture to reduce power losses caused by shadow effect. In this paper one zone of Tafila Technical University PV plant is considered as the case study. This paper presents a comparison of the simulation results of applying shadow on the existing multi string architecture system and its redesigned system by using DMPPT architecture. MATLAB/SIMULINK has been used to implement this simulation. Redesign of the system includes performing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) at string section and module levels instead of performing MPPT at string level in the existing system. Area affected by shadow has been changed by changing the number of affected modules. Results showed that the system energy harvest can be improved by using DMPPT architecture during shadow effect condition. This paper recommends to evaluate the use of DMPPT architecture at string section level before its use at a module level; and to compare the performance of DMPPT architectures on different sizes of string section level to module level.