Power electronic converters for green hydrogen production from photovoltaic: A review

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources has intensified the need for efficient energy storage solutions to mitigate their intermittent nature. Among available options, hydrogen is a promising energy carrier, with water electrolysis representing the most established pathway for sustainable production. Conventionally, photovoltaic (PV) energy is processed through the AC grid before supplying electrolyzers, although both systems inherently operate in DC. Direct PV-to-electrolyzer coupling can therefore improve efficiency by reducing conversion stages and associated losses. This paper reviews the state of the art in power electronic converters for direct coupling of PV sources and electrolyzers. The electrical characteristics of both systems are first analysed to identify converter requirements. Subsequently, isolated and non-isolated converter topologies are compared in terms of voltage conversion capability, electrolyzer current ripple, and component count. Finally, emerging research directions are discussed, including modular converter architectures and the opportunities enabled by advanced semiconductor technologies.