A Case Study on Real-Time Performance Analysis of Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) with Reconfigurable Hardware (FPGA)

Photovoltaic (PV) systems represent an active field of research offering a clean and sustainable energy source. However, due to their nonlinearity and dynamic behaviour, effectively converting energy and generating power from PV systems poses significant challenges. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by tracking the maximum operating point of PV systems for optimal utilization. Traditional approaches such as Perturb and Observe (P&O) and incremental conductance (IncCon) have been widely used for MPPT. This book chapter aims to analyse the performance of various MPPT algorithms and demonstrate their suitability for implementation on reconfigurable platforms such as FPGAs. Specifically, readers will introduce the design principles associated with PV cell development, including the utilization of the single-diode model using MATLAB and Simulink tools. Additionally, the chapter will delve into the hardware-based FPGA design of the P&O and IncCon algorithms, along with their deployment on the NEXYS 4DDR FPGA board. This chapter compares and analyses the accuracy of these implementations, providing valuable insights through successful design synthesis of MPPT algorithms.