Patent ID: 8842451

Claim:
A power conversion system for use with a photovoltaic (PV) power source, the system comprising: a DC/DC converter for converting a first DC voltage into a second DC voltage; an isolation transformer having a turns ratio of approximately 1:1; an inverter including an input for receiving a DC voltage and an output for providing an AC voltage; and at least one controller for controlling the DC/DC converter and the inverter, the controller configured to operate the DC/DC converter as a buck converter or a boost converter based, at least in part, on whether the first DC voltage is greater or less than a reference voltage, and to operate the inverter to control the DC voltage at the inverter's input as a function of the AC voltage at the inverter's output to maintain the DC voltage at the inverter's input within a defined range above a peak magnitude of the AC voltage at the inverter's output.