MPPT Techniques Exploration under Uniform and Non-Uniform Solar Irradiance Condition–A Survey

Solar PV has become increasingly popular in the past decade, both for standalone and grid-connected systems. Solar PV systems exhibit non-linear output characteristics due to weather fluctuations, which can substantially impact the overall PV system’s output. Consequently, selecting the optimal MPPT technique for a given PV system is a complex task, as each method has different strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, conducting a comprehensive examination of these techniques is crucial. A survey of academic publications on ‘Google Scholar’ spanning the past seven years (2015-2022) revealed a total of seventy-one review articles addressing various MPPT techniques. Among the studies, seven have directed their attention toward non-uniform solar irradiance, while four have dedicated their focus to uniform conditions. Surprisingly, none have ventured into the realm of hybrid optimization MPPT techniques. Moreover, several of these reviews have covered a restricted range of MPPT methods, and none have delivered an all-encompassing assessment that encompasses both online and offline strategies for uniform conditions, alongside an evaluation of hybrid MPPT techniques in the context of non-uniform solar irradiance conditions. Unfortunately, there have been minimal efforts in this direction. Consequently, the need of the hour is a comprehensive review paper that encompasses nearly all known MPPT techniques within a single publication. This paper places its primary emphasis on categorizing MPPT algorithms into offline, hybrid, and online optimization techniques, addressing both non-uniform and uniform irradiance scenarios. It serves as a comprehensive resource by consolidating diverse MPPT techniques, presenting their mathematical formulations, operational principles, and visual representations through block diagrams and flowcharts. The objective of this research endeavor is to provide a valuable reference for strategists, researchers, and energy engineers, offering them a roadmap to steer future research endeavors and practical implementations in the realm of optimization of MPPT.