Impact of Grid Faults on the Performance of Incremental Conductance MPPT in Photovoltaic Systems

The incorporation of photovoltaic (PV) systems into contemporary power grids is vital for generating low-carbon, sustainable energy. Photovoltaic modules can achieve optimal energy extraction only by operating at their Maximum Power Point (MPP). One of the most precise and responsive algorithms for tracking the maximum power point under fluctuating environmental conditions is the Incremental Conductance (IC) Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm. Unfortunately, grid-connected photovoltaic systems are susceptible to numerous faults, including voltage fluctuations and unsteady frequency, as well as burst faults, which disrupt system stability and, in turn, diminish MPPT performance. This paper examines these faults and their impact on the performance efficiency of the grid-connected photovoltaic systems. A mathematical model of a PV system comprising a boost converter and a grid-connected inverter was developed, and different fault scenarios were simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. The findings demonstrated that within the converter operating range, voltage dips and short-circuit faults cause the most significant performance losses and are also responsible for MPP deviations, unresponsive tracking, and reduced energy conversion efficiency. This chapter suggests that these challenges can be successfully addressed by incorporating a more harmonized MPPT, an inverter control strategy, compliance with low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) requirements, and the addition of storage. All of these proposed improvements work in unison to enhance fault tolerance, thereby stabilizing power delivery and promoting the development of high-efficiency, fault-resilient systems for contemporary power grids.