For solar-rich sites, prioritizing the lowest hydrogen cost eliminates AC/DC conversion losses with a single-stage DC/DC topology, achieving the highest system efficiency for direct PV-to-electrolyser operation.
DC coupling connects solar PV directly to the electrolyzer via a single‑stage DC/DC converter, eliminating the AC/DC conversion losses inherent in AC‑coupled systems.
The DC/DC converter achieves ≥99% efficiency (peak) and >98% overall system efficiency, significantly lowering the levelized cost of hydrogen – especially for solar‑rich sites.
A small battery is recommended to smooth PV output fluctuations, but the fast response (<100ms) of the DC/DC converter can handle moderate cloud transients without storage.
