Development of a MATLAB/Simulink Model of a Single-Phase Grid-Connected Photovoltaic System

Because of their deployment in dispersed locations on the lowest voltage portions of the grid, photovoltaic (PV) systems pose unique challenges to power system engineers. Computer models that accurately simulate the relevant behavior of PV systems would thus be of high value. However, most of today's models either do not accurately model the dynamics of the maximum power point trackers (MPPTs) or anti-islanding algorithms, or they involve excessive computational overhead for this application. To address this need, a MATLAB/Simulink model of a single-phase grid-connected PV inverter has been developed and experimentally tested. The development of the PV array model, the integration of the MPPT with an averaged model of the power electronics, and the Simulink implementation are described. It is experimentally demonstrated that the model works well in predicting the general behaviors of single-phase grid-connected PV systems. This paper concludes with a discussion of the need for a full gradient-based MPPT model, as opposed to a commonly used simplified MPPT model.