Solar panels have non-linear current-voltage characteristics and a specified maximum power point, which depends on environmental factors like the solar radiation and ambient temperature. The voltage-power curve of the photovoltaic system has multiple peaks under different atmospheric conditions that reduce the efficiency of the maximum power tracking techniques. This paper proposes an optimal design of a fuzzy controller using particle swarm optimization algorithm to track the maximum power point of a photovoltaic system operating under different conditions to improve its performance. The proposed system optimizes the particle swarm to produce an optimal working coefficient, which varies with photovoltaic parameters to extract maximum power. Results of simulations – performed using the MATLAB software - show the advantages of the proposed method, namely the ability to track the maximum power point in a short time and maintain the output waveform despite the relatively high variations in environmental conditions.
Key words: Particles swarm optimization algorithm; Maximum power point tracking; Photovoltaic system; Fuzzy logic controller.
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