Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques play an essential role in efficiency improvement of photovoltaic systems. The present paper deals with the development of an enhanced MPPT algorithm in order to achieve maximum power point for any climatic conditions. The method under study is composed of two advanced approaches: a modified perturb and observe (MPO) algorithm based on a fuzzy logic controller for ensuring an optimal output of photovoltaic current and a model predictive current controller. The MPO algorithm is implemented with minimum rules to reduce the computational burden. The proposed MPPT is discussed, verified, and compared through simulations under the MATLAB/Simulink^™ environment, which presents a high dynamic performance under various conditions. Furthermore, a hardware validation using a dSPACE DS 1104 board is built in order to test and to assess, in real-time, the proposed MPPT.

Pack U‐Cell (PUC) multi‐level inverter is an attractive topology which widely investigated in the past few years for renewable energy conversion systems. This study introduces a modified five‐level packed Unit‐cell converter (MPUC5) for single‐phase double stage grid‐tied photovoltaic (PV) system with unity power factor. The proposed system operates as a single‐phase active power filter able to compensate reactive power generated by non‐linear loads connected to the point of common coupling, feeds the non‐linear load by the generated PV power, and injects the extra power into the grid. The MPUC5 inverter has a special topology with two DC‐link capacitors and six switches. One DC‐link of the inverter is connected to the PV arrays through DC/DC Cùk converter to draw the maximum power. Therefore, finite‐control‐set model predictive control (FCS‐MPC) for such configuration appears as a promising alternative for this inverter to work properly. Where the proposed FCS‐MPC algorithm is designed to ensure a high grid current quality, taking into consideration the issue of the capacitor voltages balancing and the switching frequency minimisation. Both simulation results and experimental validation through real‐time hardware in the loop system prove the validity and feasibility of the proposed control scheme, regarding PV power management and quality enhancement.