Enhancing the efficiency of PV-based green hydrogen systems under partial shading conditions

Abstract

Partial shading (PS) significantly decreases the energy output of photovoltaic (PV) systems and limits the hydrogen production capacity of PV-based hydrogen production systems (PVHPSs) due to the emergence of multiple local maxima in the power-voltage (P-V) characteristics. This paper presents a dynamic PV array reconfiguration strategy based on the Mother Optimization Algorithm (MOA) to counteract PS effects and improve the performance of a PV-driven proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEMEC) system. The method dynamically reconfigures the modules of a total-cross-tied (TCT) PV array through a switching matrix controlled by real-time irradiance measurements. A PVHPS model is implemented in MATLAB/Simulink and tested under various PS conditions with irradiance levels ranging from 200 to 1000 W/m², and the results are compared with those of a traditional TCT configuration. The findings indicate that the MOA-based control technique effectively smooths the P–V curves and achieves reliable maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The PV output power increases by up to 52.4%, and hydrogen production increases from 0.12349 Nm³/h to 0.187724 Nm³/h. Additionally, validation with real irradiance data from the Ain Elmelh PV station in Algeria shows improvements of 39.67% in daily PV energy generation and 40.21% in hydrogen output, confirming the approach’s effectiveness under realistic operating conditions.