Using Active Filter Controlled by Imperialist Competitive Algorithm ICA for Harmonic Mitigation in Grid-Connected PV Systems

Solar energy has been gaining momentum recently, with a focus on maximizing its investment potential due to its reputation as the most sustainable and efficient energy source. This shift towards solar power could potentially reduce the reliance on oil-based fuels in the future. As a result of the integration of photovoltaic (PV) energy sources into the grid, the reliability of power distribution and maintaining its quality in these systems has become increasingly important. The presence of non-linear loads in these grids causes distortion of both voltage and current waves on the grid side, so it is necessary to implement effective reduction techniques to reduce the distortions in these waves. The research contribution is TO introduce the integration of an active filter on the dc side of grid-connected PV systems, along with a control circuit for the filter switches. The control switches were operated using a Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM) control scheme, while the controller parameters were tuned using the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA). The proposed system was simulated in the MATLAB/Simulink environment with variations in solar radiation and temperature. The simulation results demonstrated a reduction in the total harmonic distortion factor (THD) for voltage and current waveforms on the grid side, which are within the permissible limits. This confirms the effectiveness of the proposed filter and the efficiency of the control strategy and algorithm for parameter adjustment.