A Comparative Evaluation of DC-DC Converters for Efficient Solar Battery Charging

Solar power, a clean and sustainable energy source, is gaining significant traction due to advancements in solar panel technology and the vast amount of energy sunlight provides. Positioned in one of the world’s sunniest regions, India receives ample solar power. With these plentiful solar resources, India is leading the global push towards a solar-powered economy. This paper presents a detailed comparative review of Buck, Cuk, and SEPIC converters used in conjunction with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The analysis includes modeling the solar PV cell, implementing the Maximum PowerPoint Tracking algorithm, and examining the simulation of each converter. The performance of these converters is evaluated by considering several parameters such as output voltage polarity, power loss before MPPT, efficiency, transient oscillations, cost, etc. The SEPIC converter, with dual- mode operation and non-inverting output, excels in efficiency, stability, and performance for solar PV systems.