A Hybrid Shuffled Frog Leaping–Shuffled Complex Evolution Algorithm for Photovoltaic Parameter Identification

Abstract

Accurate identification of photovoltaic (PV) cell and module parameters remains a fundamental yet challenging task, particularly as model complexity increases from five to nine unknown parameters. In this study, the parameter extraction problem is rigorously formulated as a nonlinear optimization task and addressed using a novel hybrid metaheuristic algorithm, termed the Shuffled Frog Leaping–Shuffled Complex Evolution (SFL-SCE) method. The proposed approach synergistically integrates the population-based social learning mechanism of the Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm (SFL) with the robust global search and refinement capabilities of Shuffled Complex Evolution (SCE), thereby achieving an effective balance between exploration and exploitation. The SFL-SCE algorithm minimizes the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between measured and simulated current–voltage characteristics and is systematically applied to three widely used PV technologies: the RTC-France silicon solar cell, the polycrystalline Photowatt-PWP201 module, and the monocrystalline STM6-40/36 module. For each device, parameter identification is performed under one-diode, two-diode, and three-diode modelling frameworks, encompassing increasing levels of physical fidelity and computational complexity. Experimental data are employed throughout to ensure practical relevance and robustness. The performance of the proposed algorithm is comprehensively evaluated against its constituent algorithms (SFLA and SCE) as well as several state-of-the-art hybrid optimization techniques reported in the literature. Comparative results demonstrate that SFL-SCE consistently achieves superior accuracy, enhanced reliability, and faster convergence, as evidenced by lower minimum, mean, and maximum RMSE values, reduced standard deviation, and improved convergence behavior across all test cases. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the proposed hybridization strategy and establish SFL-SCE as a powerful and reliable tool for high-precision PV model parameter identification.