Abstract:
In this work, an improved microcontroller-based maximum power point tracking
algorithm for PV solar charge controller is proposed and implemented. The
proposed algorithm uses fuzzy logic controller to adaptively modify the step-size
of a conventional P&O algorithm, thereby improving its transient and steady-state
responses. The proposed algorithm is implemented in a prototype solar charge
controller consisting of a solar panel, a buck converter and a microcontroller. The
results of the tests performed on the proposed algorithm are compared to those
of a conventional P&O algorithm and a PV system with no MPPT, to validate the
algorithm. The comparison with the conventional P&O algorithm shows 93% and
72% improvements in transient and steady-state responses, respectively, while
that with no MPPT shows 71% improvement in efficiency with which the proposed
algorithm extract energy from a solar panel.
