Review of Soft-Switching Topologies for Single-Phase Photovoltaic Inverters

Soft switching is one of the effective techniques to improve the efficiency and power density of power electronics converters. This article presents a comprehensive review of the soft-switching topologies used in single-phase photovoltaic (PV) inverters for residential applications. The topologies of single-phase PV inverters are investigated and divided into two types of power conversion stages: the PV interface stage for boosting PV voltage and the grid interface stage for feeding ac power to the grid. The soft-switching topologies for each type of power conversion stage are reviewed and compared, respectively, including the soft-switching mechanisms, efficiency, device ratings, and design challenges. Discussions and recommendations of soft-switching topologies for each stage are also provided. This article is an attempt to provide a helpful reference for engineers working on high-performance single-phase PV inverters.