Review on Core Technologies and Development Trends of Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Inverters

Abstract

In the context of high-penetration distributed photovoltaic generation in low-voltage distribution networks, photovoltaic inverters have evolved from single power conversion devices into key equipment for power quality regulation, grid support, and intelligent operation and maintenance. This paper reviews the literature, compares typical engineering applications, focusing on three common issues in recent photovoltaic inverter research: leakage-current suppression in transformerless structures, voltage support and harmonic adaptability during grid-connected operation, and data-driven modeling and parameter optimization under complex operating conditions. The reviewed studies show that common-ground, multilevel, and quasi-Z-source topologies can improve system efficiency and suppress leakage current; Volt-VAR control, energy storage coordination, and cascaded control can improve voltage quality; and black-box modeling, symbolic regression, and swarm intelligence optimization can enhance state prediction and parameter tuning. Future research should further establish unified experimental benchmarks, improve measured data coverage, and facilitate quantitative comparisons across different technical routes.