A Novel PV Array Connection Strategy with PV-buck Module to Improve System Efficiency

The traditional directly connected PV array has low output power and efficiency under partially shaded condition. This paper proposes a new PV array connection method by installing a buck converter for each PV panel before being connected as novel PV array. More power can be extracted from novel PV array than the traditional PV array by using perturb and observer (P&O) MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) algorithm under any uneven irradiance condition. The simulation results show that the proposed method is feasible and efficient, meanwhile the complex GMPPT (Global MPPT) algorithm is not required.