Design and Optimization of an Innovative Multilevel Inverter Architecture for Grid-Connected Applications

Electronics and Systems Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, Oujda, Morocco

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Published online: 24 June 2026

Abstract

The global energy transition requires increased integration of renewable energy into electrical grids, with photovoltaic solar energy standing out for its high potential. The quality of the injected power and grid stability impose strict requirements on power converters.This work proposes and optimizes two innovative five-level inverter topologies for grid-connected photovoltaic applications. The proposed sy stems are controlled using a Phase Opposition Disposition Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation strategy implemented digitally on a microcontroller. The performance of the inverters is evaluated through MATLAB/Simulink and Proteus ISIS simulations, followed by experimental validation.The obtained results demonstrate that the first topology achieves a very low total harmonic distortion of 0.65% after filtering, while the second topology produces a high-quality 50 Hz sinusoidal output with reduced harmonic content. Compared to conventional multilevel inverters, the proposed designs reduce the number of power switches and system complexity while maintaining compliance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers standards. These features make the proposed architectures suitable for cost-effective and efficient grid-connected PV systems.