Parameter Estimation in photovoltaic systems using a hybrid Bat and crow metaheuristic algorithm

The increasing adoption of solar energy as a clean and sustainable power source has intensified research efforts toward developing more efficient photovoltaic (PV) cells. These cells exhibit nonlinear characteristics that are significantly influenced by variations in irradiance and temperature. Accurate estimation of PV model parameters plays a crucial role in maximizing performance, particularly via precise maximum power point (MPP) tracking. This paper presents a new hybrid metaheuristic algorithm that combines the global exploration capability of the Bat Algorithm (BA) with local exploitation efficiency of the Crow Search Algorithm (CR) to optimize PV parameter estimation. The proposed approach is tested using Single-Diode (SDM), Double-Diode (DDM), and Triple-Diode (TDM) models based on the RTC France dataset. The hybrid model demonstrates better convergence behavior and robustness compared to conventional approaches. Qualitatively, it effectively manages parameter uncertainty; quantitatively, it achieves RMSE values of 0.00077299 (SDM), 0.0008215 (DDM), and 0.0008068 (TDM), outperforming traditional algorithms such as Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA).