Twin perturbation parameter based flexible power point tracking technique for grid-connected PV systems

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) systems are fundamentally designed in two main configurations: standalone and grid-tied architectures. Although Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is commonly implemented to optimize energy extraction from photovoltaic systems, it may jeopardize grid stability in the event of voltage or frequency fluctuations by compelling maximum power injection. To tackle this challenge, Flexible Power Point Tracking (FPPT) has surfaced as a viable solution that improves grid stability in grid-connected PV systems. This research introduces an efficient FPPT algorithm that is optimized for grid-connected photovoltaic systems. The suggested algorithm incorporates two control strategies: current regulation on the left side and voltage regulation on the right side of the power-voltage (P–V) curve so named as twin perturbation parameter (TPP). This method led to rapid convergence towards the FPP, thereby enhancing the algorithm''s efficiency. Simulations were performed at varying irradiance levels of 1000 W/m 2 and 500 W/m 2 , incorporating abrupt changes in irradiance. The proposed method shows 0.6% and 0.8% steady state oscillations for the abrupt change in irradiance conditions respectively. Further, the findings indicate that the introduced drift-free FPPT algorithm reaches an impressive tracking efficiency of 99.87%, with a response time of merely 3 ms, surpassing current leading technique by 1.5% and power technique by 3.2%. This method is appropriate for real-world application in advanced photovoltaic inverters.