Fuzzy Logic Approach for Maximum Power Point Tracking Implemented in a Real Time Photovoltaic System

Photovoltaic (PV) panels are devices capable of converting solar energy to electrical without emissions generation, and can last for several years as there are no moving parts involved. The best performance can be achieved through maximum power point tracking (MPPT), which is challenging because it requires a sophisticated design, since the solar energy fluctuates throughout the day. The PV used in this research provided a low output voltage and, therefore, a boost-converter with a non-linear control law was implemented to reach a suitable end-used voltage. The main contribution of this research is a novel MPPT method based on a voltage reference estimator (VRE) combined with a fuzzy logic controller (FLC) in order to obtain the maximum power from the PV panel. This structure was implemented in a dSpace 1104 board for a commercial PV panel, PEIMAR SG340P. The scheme was compared with a conventional perturbation and observation (P&O) and with a sliding mode controller (SMC), where the outcomes demonstrated the superiority of the proposed advanced method.