Development of Maximum Power Point Tracking Solar Charge Controller for 120 Volt Battery System at Pandansimo Hybrid Power Plant

Pandansimo Hybrid Power Plant (HPW) is located at Pandansimo Beach, Bantul, Yogyakarta. It has a maximum capacity of 57.5 kW, combining solar and wind energy technologies. Currently a part of it (4 kWp solar panel system) is used for ice maker machine with an efficiency merely of 60% in average. To increase efficiency of system and safety of battery charging, a special Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Solar Charge Controller is developed. This system is developed to optimize power transfer from solar panel array to battery, which is shown as solar panel characteristic in a I-V curve. The purpose of this research is to develop the MPPT Solar Charge Controller with PID algorithm for 120 volt battery system and 4 kWp solar panel. The Solar Charge Controller (SCC) design uses microcontroller system that is easy to repair and improve. The SCC component can be found easily in local electronic components stores around Yogyakarta. The SCC design involves several main parameter: PWM switching frequency 50 kHz, mosfet IRFP260 power switching device, 120 Volt battery, rated current charge of 40 ampere, and three state battery charge sequential. The result of this research are the MPPT SCC with average efficiency of more than 90%, real charge current of 30 Ampere, and PV voltage optimum of 165 Volt.