A comprehensive review of topologies for photovoltaic I-V curve tracer

The I-V curve tracer is an instrument that captures the I-V characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) generators corresponding to variable environmental conditions. The device is widely used to evaluate power generation performance and detect the fault conditions of PV power generators. Various I-V tracer techniques have been developed and proposed to trace the IV characteristics and ensure high accuracy and fast speeds. A comprehensive classification and analysis was undertaken to identify the advantages and disadvantages of different technologies. This study proposes and uses five performance indices to evaluate the performance of I-V tracers. The quantitative fidelity of commercial I-V tracers were also reviewed and evaluated. This paper serves as a valuable reference tool that should be used to guide the direction of future research and lead future improvements in the field.