A system comprising: a photovoltaic power converter comprising: one or more photovoltaic arrays configured convert solar energy into a DC signal ; and at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter , characterized by a multi-stage power converter coupled to a common DC bus , and comprising: a first DC-to-DC N-level converter configured to step up the DC signal from the one or more photovoltaic arrays from a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage ; a second DC-to-DC N-level converter coupled to the common DC bus and to an energy storage device ; wherein N is an integer greater than two, and the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter coupled to the first DC-to-DC N level converter and the second DC-to-DC N-level converter, wherein the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter is configured to convert the second DC voltage into an AC signal ; and wherein the first DC-to-DC converter is further configured to transmit the second DC voltage to the DC-to-AC N-level converter via the common DC bus ; and wherein the energy storage device is configured to store or output power depending at least partially upon the power demand of a load coupled to the DC-to-AC N-level converter . a photovoltaic power converter comprising: one or more photovoltaic arrays configured convert solar energy into a DC signal ; and at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter , characterized by a multi-stage power converter coupled to a common DC bus , and comprising: a first DC-to-DC N-level converter configured to step up the DC signal from the one or more photovoltaic arrays from a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage ; a second DC-to-DC N-level converter coupled to the common DC bus and to an energy storage device ; wherein N is an integer greater than two, and the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter coupled to the first DC-to-DC N level converter and the second DC-to-DC N-level converter, wherein the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter is configured to convert the second DC voltage into an AC signal ; and wherein the first DC-to-DC converter is further configured to transmit the second DC voltage to the DC-to-AC N-level converter via the common DC bus ; and one or more photovoltaic arrays configured convert solar energy into a DC signal ; and at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter , characterized by a multi-stage power converter coupled to a common DC bus , and comprising: a first DC-to-DC N-level converter configured to step up the DC signal from the one or more photovoltaic arrays from a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage ; a second DC-to-DC N-level converter coupled to the common DC bus and to an energy storage device ; wherein N is an integer greater than two, and the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter coupled to the first DC-to-DC N level converter and the second DC-to-DC N-level converter, wherein the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter is configured to convert the second DC voltage into an AC signal ; and a first DC-to-DC N-level converter configured to step up the DC signal from the one or more photovoltaic arrays from a first DC voltage to a second DC voltage ; a second DC-to-DC N-level converter coupled to the common DC bus and to an energy storage device ; wherein N is an integer greater than two, and the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter coupled to the first DC-to-DC N level converter and the second DC-to-DC N-level converter, wherein the at least one DC-to-AC N-level converter is configured to convert the second DC voltage into an AC signal ; and wherein the first DC-to-DC converter is further configured to transmit the second DC voltage to the DC-to-AC N-level converter via the common DC bus ; and wherein the energy storage device is configured to store or output power depending at least partially upon the power demand of a load coupled to the DC-to-AC N-level converter . <EOS>