A New Maximum Power Point Tracking Based on Modified Firefly Algorithm for PV System Under Partial Shading Conditions

• Published in: Technology and economics of smart grids and sustainable energy Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 1
• Main Authors: Farzaneh, Javad, Keypour, Reza, Khanesar, Mojtaba Ahmadieh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01.12.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Algorithms; Economics and Management; Electrical Machines and Networks; Energy; Energy Policy; Energy Systems; Heuristic methods; Irradiance; Maximum power; Methods; Original Paper; Particle swarm optimization; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Power Electronics; Shading; Solar cells; Solar radiation; Tracking; PV system; Partial shading conditions; Maximum power point tracking; Modified firefly algorithm
• ISSN: 2199-4706; 2199-4706
• DOI: 10.1007/s40866-018-0048-7

A photovoltaic (PV) system under partial shading condition (PSC) may experience several local maximum power points (MPP). Classical maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques, developed for uniform solar radiation on PV arrays, are incapable of discriminating between global and local maximum power points. In this paper, a modified firefly algorithm (MFA) is used and investigated with the objective of PV system MPP tracking under PSCs. A comprehensive evaluation among the proposed MFA, firefly algorithm (FA) particle swarm optimization (PSO), and perturbation and observation (P&O) method, as one of the classical methods of MPPT in uniform irradiance, is performed. Performances of the mentioned methods are studied under various PSCs in MATLAB/Simulink software environment. The obtained results show that under PSCs performances of the proposed method, PSO and FA methods in tracking the global MPP are very satisfactory. Furthermore, the proposed method has a higher tracking speed than FA and PSO methods under partial shading conditions.