A new multilevel inverter topology, controlled by the pulse width and height modulation (PWHM) technique, with a reduced number of switches

Energy harvesting from renewable energy sources is trending in the world due to inventions in modern technology. The electricity generation through a grid-connected PV (photovoltaic) system is of great interest to developing countries. PV systems generate electricity in the form of direct current, while most loads use alternating voltage. Therefore, DC-AC (direct current- alternative current) converters are necessary to supply loads with alternating current and to be able to feed the produced energy into the electrical grid. Indeed, the presence of current or voltage harmonics leads to disturbances in electrical networks. The most well-known adverse effects of harmonic pollution include malfunctions in certain electrical equipment, conductor heating, interference with telecommunication networks, and resonance phenomena with elements composing the network. Improving the performance of a photovoltaic system relies on choosing appropriate control strategies and inverter topologies. Purpose. The objective of this article is to study and implement a static converter (DC-AC) for photovoltaic systems, ensuring efficient adaptation between the energy source and consumers. Novelty. A new multilevel inverter topology with a reduced number of switches is proposed in this article. Method. The inverter is controlled by pulse width and height modulation technique to enhance the quality of the extracted energy and optimize total harmonic distortion (THD) by eliminating low-order harmonics close to the fundamental frequency, while reducing switching losses. Practical value. A detailed study of the proposed new topology (Figure 1), as well as a Fourier series decomposition of the output waveform obtained from the multilevel inverter (Equations 1-28), has been presented to improve the quality of the energy injected into the grid. Simulation results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the employed method (Figures 4-7). A comparison of the proposed topology is made with other conventional inverter topologies in terms of component requirements (Table 1). This comparison highlights the advantage of the proposed topology in terms of component count, particularly for a higher number of voltage levels.