Improved strategy of an MPPT based on the sliding mode control for a PV system

The energy produced using a photovoltaic (PV) is mainly dependent on weather factors such as temperature and solar radiation. Given the high cost and low yield of a PV system, it must operate at maximum power point (MPP), which varies according to changes in load and weather conditions. This contribution presents an improved maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controllers of a PV system in various climatic conditions. The first is a sliding mode MPPT that designed to be applied to a buck converter in order to achieve an optimal PV array output voltage. The second MPPT is based on the incremental conductance algorithm or Perturb-and-Observe algorithm. It provides the output reference PV voltage to the sliding mode controller acting on the duty cycle of the DC-DC converter. Simulation is carried out in SimPower toolbox of Matlab/Simulink. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the sliding mode control MPPT under the parameter variation environments and shown that the controllers meet its objectives.