An analytical approach for maximum power point calculation for photovoltaic system

The power generated by photovoltaic (PV) systems is highly dependent on operating and environmental conditions. In order to increase the efficiency of PV systems, several methods have been developed to track the maximum power point (MPP). This paper proposes an analytical method that introduces a new expression for the extraction of the value of voltage and current at MPP based on the five parameters single-diode model. The method is able to provide the MPP accurately and quickly, thus ensuring that the operating point of the system is always the one that guarantees the maximum efficiency. The accuracy of the proposed method has been evaluated by numerical test, but also verified with the Elgar PV Simulator ET600X. Lastly, the implementation in prototype circuit board EK-TM4C1294XL from Texas Instruments testifies its capabilities for real-time tracking of MPPT.