This article presents a reliable and efficient photovoltaic sliding mode voltage-controlled maximum power point tracking DC-DC converter–active power filter integration system to supply real power to grid. This integrated active power filter system performs power quality enhancement features to compensate current harmonics to make distortion-free grid supply current and reactive power employing nonlinear loads. The proposed proportional–integral–derivative–based sliding mode controller is designed with fixed-frequency pulse-width modulation based on equivalent control approach. The main objective of this paper is to design a photovoltaic system with a new sliding surface to force the photovoltaic voltage to follow the reference maximum power point voltage with the alleviation of slow transient response and disadvantages of chattering effects of variable-frequency hysteresis modulation sliding mode controller–maximum power point tracking. The perturbations caused by the uncertainties in climatic conditions and converter output bulk oscillations during grid integration are also mitigated. The features of the proposed photovoltaic–active power filter integration system are confirmed at different operating conditions through PSIM simulation software, and its performance is also compared with a conventional variable-frequency sliding mode-controlled maximum power point tracking. The obtained simulation and experimental results give good dynamic response under various operating conditions of environmental and local load conditions. © The Author(s) 2019.