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A novel microprocessor-controlled electronic ballast with a class-E resonant inverter for illumination applications is employed to link a photovoltaic (PV)-powered battery energy storage system (BESS) as a main power source with a utility ac power as a complementary source. The proposed strategy aims to control power flow either from the PV-powered BESS or from the utility ac power line to the electronic ballast. This novel design has lower loss, easier control, and higher efficiency than traditional PV panel has. A 27-W fluorescent lamp is ignited by electronic ballast with a class-E topology to validate the proposed theoretical analyses. When the electronic ballast is driven by the PV-powered BESS and the utility ac power, overall efficiency of the proposed system is 94.2% and 91.1%, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate the functionality of the overall system, indicating that it is a good solution for several hybrid-source applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]