Hybrid Fuzzy–DDPG Approach for Efficient MPPT in Partially Shaded Photovoltaic Panels

Partial shading conditions reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic (PV) systems by introducing multiple local maxima in the power–voltage curve, complicating Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). Traditional MPPT methods, such as Perturb and Observe (P&O) and Incremental Conductance (IC), frequently converge to local maxima, leading to suboptimal power extraction. This study proposes a hybrid reinforcement learning-based MPPT approach that combines fuzzy techniques with Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) to enhance tracking accuracy under partial shading. The method integrates fuzzy membership functions into the actor–critic structure, improving state representation and convergence speed. The proposed algorithm is evaluated in a simulated PV environment under various shading scenarios and benchmarked against conventional Perturb and Observe P&O and IC methods. Experimental results demonstrate that the Fuzzy–DDPG approach outperforms these classical techniques by achieving a higher tracking efficiency of 95%, compared to 85% for P&O and 88% for IC in average, while also minimizing steady-state oscillations. Additionally, the proposed method reduces tracking errors by up to 7.9% compared to conventional MPPT algorithms. These findings indicate that the combination of fuzzy logic and deep reinforcement learning provides a more adaptive and efficient MPPT solution, ensuring improved energy harvesting in dynamically changing conditions.