MPPT-Based Chaotic ABC Algorithm for a Photovoltaic Power System Under Partial Shading Conditions

This paper presents a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) method designed for a photovoltaic (PV) power system operating under partial shading conditions. Partial shading conditions induce multiple power peak characteristics into the power–voltage curve of the PV power system, such that conventional MPPT methods often lead local maximum power and result in suboptimal energy harvesting. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a chaotic artificial bee colony (CABC) algorithm hybridized with a chaotic searching behavior. The incorporation of the chaotic mapping enhances the exploration capability of bees (i.e., faster convergence time) and escapes local optima. To demonstrate its superior performance, the CABC algorithm is rigorously evaluated through simulations under two distinct partial shading scenarios, while making comparisons with the standard ABC algorithm and traditional MPPT methods. Therefore, the potential of this novel approach enhances MPPT accuracy, efficiency, and reliability in a partially shaded PV power system.