A Novel MPPT Technique for Single Stage Grid-Connected PV Systems: T4S

In this paper, a novel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique, which has been named T4S (a technique based on the proper setting of the sign of the slope of the photovoltaic voltage reference signal), is presented and discussed. It is specifically designed with reference to a single-stage grid-connected PV system. Its performance is numerically compared with that of the well-known and widely used perturb and observe (P&O) MPPT technique. The results of the numerical simulations confirm the validity of the proposed MPPT technique which exhibited a slightly better performance, under stationary and also time-varying irradiance conditions. In addition, the T4S technique is characterized by the following features: it does not require explicit power detection or calculation and, moreover, it allows the tracking of the maximum average power injected into the grid rather than the tracking of the maximum instantaneous power extracted by the PV source.