Innovative solar PV array design: mitigating partial shading for Optimal Performance Index

Photovoltaic arrays are popular for green energy but suffer productivity loss from module faults and partial shading conditions (PSC). These two faults must be distinguished to avoid a permanent shutdown. Hence, this article presents two Novel 4 X 4 array structures with fewer tie-lines to address mismatch power loss under these abnormal conditions. The performances of these novel arrays are compared with Total-Cross-Tied (TCT), Honey-Comb (HC), and Bridge-Link (BL) under three PSC categories, with six cases falling into each category. PSCs are analysed at constant and varying temperatures, along with row and column module faults. Thirteen performance indices, including the Overall Performance Index (OPI), are addressed. The percentage reduction of tie-lines in novel topologies, along with their strengths and limitations, and variation of the performance indices of all the topologies are analysed. The obtained results reveal that the Novel-1 and Novel-2 arrays capture the global maximum power point (GMPP) in 67% and 78% of the analysed situations, respectively, outperforming standard arrangements and decreasing tie-lines. These findings support the efficacy and economic benefits of the novel array configurations, which provide considerable increases in PV system performance and reliability across a variety of environmental circumstances. © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.