IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i6p2336-d1607215.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Topological Advances in Isolated DC–DC Converters: High-Efficiency Design for Renewable Energy Integration

Author

Listed:
  • Sergio Coelho

    (ALGORITMI Research Centre/LASI, Department of Industrial Electronics, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal)

  • Vitor Monteiro

    (ALGORITMI Research Centre/LASI, Department of Industrial Electronics, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal)

  • Joao L. Afonso

    (ALGORITMI Research Centre/LASI, Department of Industrial Electronics, University of Minho, 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal)

Abstract

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RESs) into medium-voltage (MV) and low-voltage (LV) power systems presents significant challenges in ensuring power grid stability and energy sustainability. Advanced power conversion technologies are essential to mitigate voltage and frequency fluctuations while meeting stringent power quality standards. RES-based generation systems typically employ multistage power electronics to achieve: (i) maximum power point tracking; (ii) galvanic isolation and voltage transformation; (iii) high-quality power injection into the power grid. In this context, this paper provides a comprehensive review of up-to-date isolated DC–DC converter topologies tailored for the integration of RES. As a contribution to support this topic, recent advancements in solid-state transformers (SSTs) are explored, with particular emphasis on the adoption of wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors technologies, such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN). These devices have revolutionized modern power systems by enabling operation at a higher switching frequency, enhanced efficiency, and increased power density. By consolidating state-of-the-art advancements and identifying technical challenges, this review offers insights into the suitability of power converter topologies in light of future trends, serving as a valuable resource for optimizing grid-connected RES-based sustainable power systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergio Coelho & Vitor Monteiro & Joao L. Afonso, 2025. "Topological Advances in Isolated DC–DC Converters: High-Efficiency Design for Renewable Energy Integration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-40, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2336-:d:1607215
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2336/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/6/2336/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stamatios Ntanos & Michalis Skordoulis & Grigorios Kyriakopoulos & Garyfallos Arabatzis & Miltiadis Chalikias & Spyros Galatsidas & Athanasios Batzios & Apostolia Katsarou, 2018. "Renewable Energy and Economic Growth: Evidence from European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Zhang, Neng & Sutanto, Danny & Muttaqi, Kashem M., 2016. "A review of topologies of three-port DC–DC converters for the integration of renewable energy and energy storage system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 388-401.
    3. Büyük, Mehmet & İnci, Mustafa, 2023. "Improved drift-free P&O MPPT method to enhance energy harvesting capability for dynamic operating conditions of fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 267(C).
    4. Rui Li & Lie Xu, 2018. "Review of DC fault protection for HVDC grids," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(2), March.
    5. Muhammad Majid Gulzar & Muhammad Iqbal & Sulman Shahzad & Hafiz Abdul Muqeet & Muhammad Shahzad & Muhammad Majid Hussain, 2022. "Load Frequency Control (LFC) Strategies in Renewable Energy-Based Hybrid Power Systems: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Zia, Muhammad Fahad & Elbouchikhi, Elhoussin & Benbouzid, Mohamed, 2018. "Microgrids energy management systems: A critical review on methods, solutions, and prospects," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 1033-1055.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Polimeni, Simone & Moretti, Luca & Martelli, Emanuele & Leva, Sonia & Manzolini, Giampaolo, 2023. "A novel stochastic model for flexible unit commitment of off-grid microgrids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    2. Ismael Pérez-Franco & Agustín García-García & Juan J. Maldonado-Briegas, 2020. "Energy Transition Towards a Greener and More Competitive Economy: The Iberian Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-14, April.
    3. Gui, Yonghao & Wei, Baoze & Li, Mingshen & Guerrero, Josep M. & Vasquez, Juan C., 2018. "Passivity-based coordinated control for islanded AC microgrid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 551-561.
    4. Belqasem Aljafari & Jasmin Pamela Stephenraj & Indragandhi Vairavasundaram & Raja Singh Rassiah, 2022. "Steady State Modeling and Performance Analysis of a Wind Turbine-Based Doubly Fed Induction Generator System with Rotor Control," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-19, May.
    5. Sun, Alexander Y., 2020. "Optimal carbon storage reservoir management through deep reinforcement learning," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    6. Thomas Schmitt & Tobias Rodemann & Jürgen Adamy, 2021. "The Cost of Photovoltaic Forecasting Errors in Microgrid Control with Peak Pricing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-13, April.
    7. Antoine Boche & Clément Foucher & Luiz Fernando Lavado Villa, 2022. "Understanding Microgrid Sustainability: A Systemic and Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-29, April.
    8. Muhammad Umair Safder & Mohammad J. Sanjari & Ameer Hamza & Rasoul Garmabdari & Md. Alamgir Hossain & Junwei Lu, 2023. "Enhancing Microgrid Stability and Energy Management: Techniques, Challenges, and Future Directions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-28, September.
    9. Sulman Shahzad & Muhammad Abbas Abbasi & Hassan Ali & Muhammad Iqbal & Rania Munir & Heybet Kilic, 2023. "Possibilities, Challenges, and Future Opportunities of Microgrids: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-28, April.
    10. Rafiq Asghar & Francesco Riganti Fulginei & Hamid Wadood & Sarmad Saeed, 2023. "A Review of Load Frequency Control Schemes Deployed for Wind-Integrated Power Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-29, May.
    11. Changhao Lv & Qingquan Jia & Lijuan Lin & Jinwei Cui, 2023. "Local Frequency Modulation Strategy Based on Controllable Load Characteristic Identification of Multi-Port Power Router," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-22, April.
    12. Saima Akhtar & Sulman Shahzad & Asad Zaheer & Hafiz Sami Ullah & Heybet Kilic & Radomir Gono & Michał Jasiński & Zbigniew Leonowicz, 2023. "Short-Term Load Forecasting Models: A Review of Challenges, Progress, and the Road Ahead," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-29, May.
    13. Wang, Yi & Qiu, Dawei & Sun, Mingyang & Strbac, Goran & Gao, Zhiwei, 2023. "Secure energy management of multi-energy microgrid: A physical-informed safe reinforcement learning approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    14. Daniela Nicoleta Sahlian & Adriana Florina Popa & Raluca Florentina Creţu, 2021. "Does the Increase in Renewable Energy Influence GDP Growth? An EU-28 Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    15. Zhang, Chao & Wei, Yi-Li & Cao, Peng-Fei & Lin, Meng-Chang, 2018. "Energy storage system: Current studies on batteries and power condition system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3091-3106.
    16. Llorca, Manuel & Rodriguez-Alvarez, Ana, 2024. "Economic, environmental, and energy equity convergence: Evidence of a multi-speed Europe?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    17. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Raghutla, Chandrashekar & Chittedi, Krishna Reddy & Jiao, Zhilun & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2020. "The effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth: Evidence from the renewable energy country attractive index," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    18. Evgeny Lisin & Wadim Strielkowski & Veronika Chernova & Alena Fomina, 2018. "Assessment of the Territorial Energy Security in the Context of Energy Systems Integration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, November.
    19. Qianwen Li & Zhilong Chen & Jialin Min & Mengjie Xu & Yanhong Zhan & Wenyue Zhang & Chuanwang Sun, 2024. "Hybrid transaction model for optimizing the distributed power trading market," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-13, December.
    20. Saqib Iqbal & Kamyar Mehran, 2022. "A Day-Ahead Energy Management for Multi MicroGrid System to Optimize the Energy Storage Charge and Grid Dependency—A Comparative Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:6:p:2336-:d:1607215. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.