A Modified Firefly Algorithm with Rapid Response Maximum Power Point Tracking for Photovoltaic Systems under Partial Shading Conditions

Yu-Pei Huang, Cheng-En Ye and Xiang Chen
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Yu-Pei Huang: Department of Electronic Engineering, National Quemoy University, Kinmen County 892, Taiwan
Cheng-En Ye: Department of Electronic Engineering, National Quemoy University, Kinmen County 892, Taiwan
Xiang Chen: Department of Electronic Engineering, National Quemoy University, Kinmen County 892, Taiwan

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-33

Abstract: A rapid response optimization technique for photovoltaic maximum power point tracking (MPPT) under partial shading conditions (PSCs) is proposed in this study. To improve the solar MPPT tracking speed for rapidly-changing environmental conditions and to prevent the conventional firefly algorithm (FA) from becoming trapped at the local peaks and oscillations during the search process, a novel fusion algorithm, named the modified firefly algorithm (MFA), is proposed. The MFA integrates and modifies the processes of two algorithms, namely the firefly algorithm with neighborhood attraction (NaFA) and simplified firefly algorithm (SFA). A modified attraction process for the NaFA is used in the first iteration to avoid trapping at local maximum power points (LMPPs). In addition, in order to improve the convergence speed, the attractiveness factor of the attraction process is designed to be related to the power and position difference of the fireflies. Furthermore, the number of fireflies is designed to decrease in proportion with the iterations in the modified SFA process. Results from both the simulations and evaluations verify that the proposed algorithm offers rapid response with high accuracy and efficiency when encountering PSCs. In addition, the MFA can avoid becoming trapped at LMPPs and ease the oscillations during the search process. Consequently, the proposed method could be considered to be one of the most promising substitutes for existing approaches. In addition, the proposed method is adaptable to different types of solar panels and different system formats with specifically designed parameters.

Keywords: maximum power point tracking (MPPT); partial shading conditions (PSCs); firefly algorithm (FA); firefly algorithm with neighborhood attraction (NaFA) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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