Power converters for renewable energy: solar

Solar photovoltaic energy has shown a remarkable evolution in the last decades. At the end of 2020, the global installed capacity exceeded 760 GW, with solar photovoltaic maintaining its position as the third largest renewable energy source. Power electronic converters provide the enabling technology for extracting photovoltaic energy with high yield and for integrating PV systems into the electrical grid. This article provides a comprehensive overview of power converters used for photovoltaic systems, focusing on grid-connected systems. The basic functionality of and the requirements imposed on photovoltaic converters are examined. Commonly used converter configurations and converter chain topologies are distinguished and described. Numerous dc-ac and dc-dc converters topologies suitable for the implementation of respective stages of the photovoltaic conversion chain are presented and discussed. It is shown that recent converters use more intricate topologies to increase the efficiency and minimize the flow of leakage current in the parasitic capacitance. The presented dc ac converters in optional combination with the dc-dc topologies allow the development of converters catering for small-to large-scale photovoltaic systems.