Power Converters for Green Hydrogen Production: An Application-Oriented Review

The decarbonization of energy systems has positioned green hydrogen as a pivotal energy carrier, with water electrolysis emerging as the most mature and scalable technology for sustainable hydrogen production. When powered by renewable sources such as solar photovoltaics (PVs) and wind, electrolyzers enable a carbon-neutral pathway while requiring advanced power conversion systems. This article presents an application-oriented review of power electronic converter technologies for renewable-powered water electrolysis, based on reported studies and commercially implemented systems. The discussion begins with an overview of the main types of electrolyzers and their distinct electrical and dynamic characteristics. Renewable energy supply characteristics are then examined, highlighting intermittency, variability, and integration challenges associated with solar, wind, and hybrid sources. Technical requirements for power converters, such as efficiency and cost, reliability, voltage and current regulation, power quality, scalability, system complexity, and isolation, are reviewed based on literature and commercial systems. The review further surveys AC–DC rectifier topologies, from diode-based designs to advanced controlled and multilevel configurations, as well as nonisolated and isolated DC–DC converters. Practical design considerations and topology selection strategies for large-scale electrolyzer plants are discussed, with reference to existing hydrogen production facilities and commercial power converter solutions. This review provides a consolidated reference for researchers and engineers, bridging electrolyzer operational requirements with state-of-the-art power electronics solutions for renewable hydrogen generation.