Design and implementation of high-gain DC–DC converter for tri-hybrid renewable energy system

This paper introduces an innovative high-gain DC–DC converter designed for 100 W applications to support tri-hybrid renewable energy systems comprising solar, wind, and underwater turbines. The conventional DC–DC converters struggle to achieve high-voltage gain without compromising efficiency and component lifespan, which can merely support single or dual input sources topologies, limiting their application in the hybrid renewable energy systems. The proposed converter integrates switched inductor and capacitor voltage-boosting techniques, achieving a voltage gain of 14 at a duty cycle of 0.5, with an efficiency of 92.90%. It effectively operates across a duty cycle range of 0.35 to 0.66, an input voltage range of 12 V to 96 V, and resistive loads between 1.3 kΩ and 3.5 kΩ. Furthermore, the converter maintains a stable output voltage through the integration of an external battery storage system. The simulation and experimental studies validate the converter's performance across varying power levels, while experimental results at low power closely match the simulation data, confirming the converter's effectiveness under various conditions. The converter exhibits a cost-to-voltage ratio of 0.324, demonstrating superior economic feasibility compared to existing topologies. In general, the converter provides a scalable-solution for hybrid renewable energy with multiple-input, high-gain, cost-efficient, and smaller installation areas.