Analysis and optimization of a solar PV system with high-gain DC-DC converter and multilevel inverter

Abstract This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system incorporating Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) using Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm, interfaced with a high gain (HG) step-up DC-DC converter and fed into an 11-level inverter with Proportional Resonant (PR) control. The suggested system is designed to optimize energy extraction from the solar array and enhance voltage gain to meet the requirements of medium-to-high power applications. The high step-up DC-DC converter ensures an efficient boost in voltage while maintaining low voltage stress on the components. An 11-level inverter is employed to convert the stepped up DC voltage into AC for grid-tied or standalone applications. The PR controller is chosen for its superior performance in tracking sinusoidal references and minimizing steady-state error. Using the PR controller, lower Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) values are achieved, with 6.45% for voltage and 4.65% for current. The performance of the inverter is analysed under Rotating Trapezoidal Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (RTSPWM) technique, to evaluate their impact on harmonic distortion, voltage regulation, and overall efficiency.