Power converters assume a significant part in fuel cell power generation systems and solar power conversion systems which are an alternative to fossil fuel production systems. There is therefore a demand for high quality power conditioning used in PEMFC systems and photovoltaic panels. This chapter proposes a hybrid electric power (FC/PV) production strategy with the use of converter topology as the power interface and also introduces a three-level inverter topology for different operating levels. The converter increases the input voltage to the rated voltage and turns into a DC bus; the multi-level inverter converts the voltage to AC and supplies AC loads. This chapter develops a hybrid electric power generation strategy, which can produce output with positive and zero sequences. Integrating the three-stage inverter into the hybrid renewable energy (FC/PV) production system allows for near sinusoidal current with low THD. The topology of hybrid energy production using the multi-level converter is tested on Matlab.
TopIntroduction
The primary energy source is referred to as fossil fuel. The combustion of fossil fuels produces a large amount of ozone-depleting pollutants, including carbon dioxide, which is the primary cause of rising global temperatures and climate change, both of which are causing significant environmental harm. Because of the limited storage capacity of nonrenewable petroleum-based oil, the use of alternative resources such as PV cells, biomass, wind energy, geothermal, and so on has grown dramatically in the recent years. Because greenhouse gases are not emitted when renewable energy sources are used, the likelihood of the greenhouse effect can be reduced and the use of non-renewable energy can be effectively reduced. Photovoltaic technology is one of the most rapidly evolving technologies due to its abundant supply of solar illumination and lack of negative environmental effects. Significant research progress has been made on the energy generated by photovoltaic systems as a result of the market introduction of power electronic devices (Shalaby et al., 2021; Ghoudelbourk et al., 2016, 2020, 2021; Kamal et al., 2020; Ammar et al., 2019a; Kamal & Ibrahim, 2018; Fekik et al., 2015a,b, 2016, 2018, 2019a,b; Hamida et al., 2017; Amara et al., 2018; Amara et al., 2019a; Amara et al., 2019b; Fekik et al., 2018a,b,c,d,e, 2020a,b,c,d; Denoun et al., 2018; Ben Smida et al., 2018; Hamida et al., 2018, 2019a,b,c).
Photovoltaic cells have many advantages, including being noiseless, pollution-free, and low maintenance. Photovoltaic (PV) technology is now being used in a variety of systems, which can be classified into two types: (1) autonomous PV systems and (2) network-connected PV systems. Autonomous photovoltaic systems are used in conjunction with a battery bank for energy storage at distant intervals where the association is lavish (Dong et al., 2020; Strzelecki, 2008). On the other hand, photovoltaic panels are connected to the power network for grid-connected photovoltaic systems without using the battery bank to the extent that open PV power is redirected to the energy grid. Fuel Cells are another source of renewable energy that has piqued the interest of researchers in recent years. Fuel cells are used to generate electricity by converting hydrogen energy (Edwards et al., 2008; Keshavarzzadeh, Ahmadi & Safaei, 2019; Kumar et al., 2019).
Fuel cells are classified into several types based on their electrolytes. The following are frequently used: (1) lower ambient temperature; (2) lower operating pressure to improve safety; and (3) higher convertibility ratio (Bocci et al., 2014; Cipriani et al., 2014). Because they produce only a low output voltage, fuel cells have a high construction cost if they are required for high power applications. The voltage produced in most renewable energy production systems is continuous, and it is generally converted to alternating voltage (AC) using an electronic power converter with pulse width modulation (PWM). The performance of the system is determined by the control technique of a PWM inverter.