Maximum power point tracking algorithms for wind energy system : a review

Abstract

This paper reviews and studies the state of the art available maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms. Due to the nature of wind which is instantaneously changing, there is only one optimal generator speed desirable at any one time that ensures maximum energy is harvested from the available wind. Therefore, including a controller that is able to track the maximum peak regardless of any wind speed is essential. The available maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms can be classified according to the control variable, namely with and without sensor, and also the technique used to locate the maximum peak. A comparison has been made on the performance of the selected MPPT algorithms based on various speed responses and the ability to achieve the maximum energy yield. The tracking performance is performed by simulating wind energy system using the MATLAB/Simulink simulation package. Besides that, a brief and critical discussion is made on the differences of available MPPT algorithms for wind energy system, followed by a conclusion.