Photovoltaic Array with Maximum Power Point Tracking Submitted by

Renewable energy is one of the fastest growing trends in post-industrialized societies as they face growing energy demands and actively seek cost effective solutions. Among these solutions includes solar energy, specifically photovoltaic arrays. Photovoltaic arrays allow societies to drastically reduce energy expenses and dependency on non-renewable energy sources. Given a reasonable location and a well-designed application, photovoltaic arrays can provide an excellent, cost saving solution for users requiring large amounts of power. This report details a system that can be used to implement a grid connected photovoltaic array with maximum power point tracking. The system consists of a dc-dc boost converter and H-bridge design with a passive filter and step-up transformer. The dc-dc converter utilizes an MPPT algorithm, charging a dc bus capacitor. The H-bridge maintains a constant voltage on the dc bus capacitor, and outputs a PWM signal which is then conditioned by a low-pass filter. The output voltage, current and power will be monitored, displayed on an LCD, and a USB drive will allow for the history of the system to be uploaded to a PC. The system hardware, software, and control systems are discussed in the following report