A Novel PWM Technique for MPPT Tracking of PV-Based Cascaded H-bridge Multi-level Inverter

This paper presents a novel Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique designed for a Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) grid-tied multilevel inverter used in Photovoltaic (PV) systems, featuring a single-stage power conversion. Each inverter’s output voltage adopts a quasi-square waveform tailored to correspond with the power generated by the respective solar panel. A key highlight of this technique is its simplicity, avoiding complex implementation. By incorporating the proposed PWM technique into the cascaded H-Bridge inverters, it efficiently optimizes the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for each PV panel, regardless of whether the irradiation conditions are uniform or non-uniform, while simultaneously achieving DC capacitor voltage balance. Moreover, employing this PWM technique simplifies the implementation process on a DSP, avoiding unnecessary complexity.