Recommendations for the Implementation of DC-DC Converters Based on Wide Band Gap Semiconductors for Off-Grid Photovoltaic Systems

When the operating voltage of photovoltaic modules is incompatible with the requirements of the user in an off-grid systems, DC-DC converters allow the utilization of the converted energy. Due to its inherent properties, Wide Band Gap (WBG) semiconductors provide a higher efficiency in these power electronics converters. In this contribution, the design and implementation of a novel 500W-DC-DC WBG-based converter is presented. Its performance is compared with an equivalent converter, based on the same characteristics but built with conventional technologies. Looking towards further development of this technology and more efficient power conversion, suggestions and recommendations to achieve a better performance are made.