Global MPPT based on Fennec Fox algorithm for control of photovoltaic systems

To address the issue of pollution caused by burning fossil fuels, alternative renewable energy sources has been adopted worldwide. Thanks to its almost free-maintenance, affordable price, and clean nature, Photovoltaic (PV) systems are used extensively for electricity generation. However, being prone to changes in ambient temperature and solar irradiance and due to its relatively poor conversion efficiency, accurate and fast controllers are required for operating PV systems at its full potential. This latter is achieved by installing Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms. In case of partial shading, where modules composing the PV system are receiving different amounts of light, tracking operation becomes quite challenging, as the Power-Voltage (P-V) curve becomes highly nonlinear. In the aforementioned operating conditions, MPPT algorithm based on deterministic algorithms diverges frequently from the optimal operating point. Alternatively, stochastic algorithms has proven its superiority in solving such optimization problem. The Fennec Fox Algorithm (FFA) is a recent metaheuristic algorithm. It has proved its superiority over numerous older stochastic algorithms. In that regard, the FFA is exploited to implement a new MPPT control scheme. The FFA based MPPT algorithm exhibits accurate and fast tracking performance under different operating conditions. Simulations using the Simulink/Matlab software are carried out to validate the results.