Modular multilevel converter with integrated storage for solar photovoltaic applications

Modular multilevel converter features high power quality and has high availability due to its inherent modularity. Those characteristics make this converter well suited for high voltage DC transmission applications. In this paper, a new application of modular multilevel converter in solar photovoltaic plants is proposed. The proposed structure can use higher voltages than standard photovoltaic plants, hence reducing internal losses. Additionally, an storage element can be integrated with the converter in order to perform peak shaving. The proposed topology and control strategy are shown and simulation results confirm their performance.