Control of a 400 kW Grid-Connected PV Array with and without MPPT Algorithm

This In this paper, a Solar Energy System (SES) is studied. The system consists of a 400 kW PV array connected to a 6.6 kV grid via a DC/DC boost converter and a three-phase VSC (Voltage Source Converter). The boost converter is equipped with a simple and efficient MPPT bloc that allows tracking the optimal power from PV array to make the system delivers the maximum possible power depending to the temperature and irradiance conditions; this MPPT control uses an additional solar cell of the same type configured in open circuit voltage configuration. Next, a FCS (Fuzzy Control System) is used to control the produced energy and inject it into a grid. Modeling of the systems' components has been done following the electrical equations. Simulations have been carried out with MATLAB; the obtained results validate the proposed model and show the positive reaction of the system with and without MPPT control.