Rapid Curve Scanning Global MPPT for PV Applications Under Partial Shading

When the Photovoltaic (PV) cells that form a PV module are exposed to different levels of solar irradiance (partial shading), several maximum power points might be created. Traditional Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) methods operate at the first Maximum Power Point (MPP) found, and disregard the possibility of finding a higher-power MPP (global maximum). As a result, PV modules operating under partial shading conditions can incur on significant energy losses. This work introduces a Rapid Curve Scanning Global MPPT (RCS-GMPPT) method by combining the intuitive concept of I-V curve scanning with large-signal state-plane modelling to achieve an extreme scanning speed. As a result, the method is capable of finding the GMPP in under 1ms. The RCS-GMPPT is fully compatible with digitally controlled power converters, and it can be implemented as an add-on with minimum processing requirements. The analysis is supported by detailed mathematical procedures and validated by simulation and experimental results.