a 7-level switched-capacitor inverter with common-ground configuration and voltage boost capability for solar energy applications

The key features of switched-capacitor multilevel inverters with transformerless configuration is their lower cost and volume, higher efficiency, and voltage boost capability. these advantages have made them suitable for various applications, particularly in low-power photovoltaic systems. however, the main challenge of these structures is the presence of ground leakage current, which reduces the reliability and degrades the quality of the output voltage and current. addressing this issue, this paper puts forth a switched-capacitor inverter with a common-ground configuration and the inherent ability to step up the output voltage relative to its input. the proposed structure possesses the capability to elevate the output voltage by a factor of three relative to the input voltage, utilizing a single input voltage source, nine unidirectional power electronic switches, two diodes, and three capacitors. a comprehensive comparative evaluation has been performed between the proposed structure and other similar configurations to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed structure. the efficiency of the proposed structure is greater than 95% for an output power of 1.5 kw. finally, to assess the performance of the proposed structure, the simulation results of the inverter output in standalone mode under steady-state and transient conditions are presented. moreover, the performance of the proposed inverter in transferring power from a photovoltaic array to the grid under transient solar irradiance conditions is also provided. the maximum power of the solar array is 5.148 kw at an irradiance of 1 kw/m2, of which 5.060 kw is transferred to the grid.