A Cost-Effective Ultra-High-Gain Single-Switch DC–DC Converter with Direct Power Transfer for Low-Voltage PV Applications

This paper presents a novel cost-effective, nonisolated ultra-high-gain single-switch DC–DC converter (UHGS2C) employing a voltage lift (VL) cell and a direct power transfer (DPT) mechanism, specifically designed for low-voltage photovoltaic (PV) applications. The proposed topology achieves an 8× voltage gain at a duty cycle of 0.5 using only a single active switch, three inductors, three capacitors, and five diodes, thereby reducing component count and control complexity compared with conventional high-gain converters. Through the DPT mechanism, a portion of the input energy is transferred directly to the load during the switch-on interval, thereby reducing the energy processed by the magnetic elements and lowering both switch current stress and capacitor voltage ratings. The steady-state analysis confirms that the maximum capacitor voltage is limited to half of the output voltage (VCmax = VO/2), enabling the use of compact, low–voltage-rated capacitors that improve power density and reduce cost. Both continuous and discontinuous conduction modes (CCM/DCM) are analyzed in detail, and a systematic design procedure, along with a comprehensive power loss model, is provided. To validate the theoretical analysis, a 200-W experimental prototype operating at 25-V input, 200-V output, and 50-kHz switching frequency was implemented. The prototype achieves a peak efficiency of 96.4%, while the closed-loop PI control verifies stable line- and load-regulation performance. Comparative results demonstrate that the proposed UHGS2C provides a favorable trade-off among voltage gain, efficiency, component stress, and compactness, making it a strong candidate for renewable energy applications such as PV systems. © 2026 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.