Predictive model-based maximum power point tracking technique for pv applications with reduced sensor count

Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is an essential control for any photovoltaic (PV) system. This paper develops a new predictive technique to extract the maximum power from the PV source. The system under study is composed of a PV source followed by a boost DC-DC converter to interface the resistive load. The proposed MPPT strategy combines the idea of the well-known model predictive control (MPC) with the model of the PV source. By doing so, the switching state can be directly generated without the need of the discrete-time model’s derivation as the case in the conventional finite set model predictive control (FS-MPC). Furthermore, the developed scheme decreases the number of required sensors for MPPT. Finally, the superiority of the proposed technique is confirmed, in comparison with the conventional MPC, via simulation results conducted in Matlab platform.