Hydrogen use is dominated by industry, with most hydrogen demand mitigated using fossil fuels; therefore, there is an eminent potential for the reduction of emissions by replacing fossil-derived hydrogen with a renewable hydrogen source. Although the emission reduction by using renewable energy presents a promising potential, its fluctuating nature is still a challenge to be addressed. In this study, considering a battery energy storage system (BESS), a dynamic operation-based techno-economic evaluation of a standalone solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE) was conducted using actual solar data. Different process configurations were designed and simulated to quantify the available potential of a standalone solar-powered hydrogen production system in Korea. Furthermore, economic evaluation metrics, such as levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) and Monte Carlo simulation, were used to assess the potential of different configurations under variable market prices and future technology costs to estimate the future potential. The results showed that Case 1 (standalone solar-powered AWE without BESS) offers the lowest LCOH (9.55 $/kg) but with daytime operation only. Meanwhile, Case 4 (standalone solar-powered AWE with BESS) reported the second-lowest LCOH (11.67 $/kg) compared with the other cases. The results also suggested that systems with BESS can increase operational reliability by minimizing operational fluctuations and maximizing operational hours but with a slightly higher LCOH. The conducted sensitivity analysis showed that the technology cost (solar PV, AWE, and BESS) has the highest impact on LCOH, which is promising, in light of the decreasing trend in the future costs of such technologies.

Alkaline Water Electrolyzer Solar Power Battery Energy Storage System Techno-economic Analysis Levelized Cost Of Hydrogen

Owusu PA, Asumadu-Sarkodie S, Cogent Eng., 3, 116799 (2016)
Pedersen JST, Santos FD, van Vuuren D, Gupta J, Coelho RE, Aparicio BA, Swart R, Glob. Environ. Chang., 66, 102199 (2021)
Zakkour PD, Heidug W, Howard A, Haszeldine RS, Allen MR, Hone D, Haszeldine RS, Taylor Fr., 21, 63 (2020)
Nematollahi O, Kim KC, Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 77, 566 (2017)
Won W, Kwon H, Han JH, Kim J, Renew. Energy, 103, 226 (2017)
Cho S, Kim J, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 33(10), 2808 (2016)
I. Renewable Energy Agency, Green hydrogen: A guide to policy making (2020).
Qyyum MA, Dickson R, Ali Shah SF, Niaz H, Khan A, Liu JJ, Lee M, Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 145, 110843 (2021)
Jia YH, Choi JY, Ryu JH, Kim CH, Lee WK, Tran HT, Zhang RH, Ahn DH, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 27(6), 1854 (2010)
Lee MJ, Kim JY, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 34(6), 1604 (2017)
Schnuelle C, Wassermann T, Fuhrlaender D, Zondervan E, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 45, 29938 (2020)
Dawood F, Shafiullah GM, Anda M, Sustainability, 12, 2047 (2020)
Andika R, Kim Y, Yun CM, Yoon SH, Lee MY, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 36(1), 12 (2019)
Niaz H, Brigljevic B, Park YB, Woo HC, Liu JJ, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 8(22), 8305 (2020)
Gielen D, Taibi E, Miranda R, Hydrogen: A renewable energy perspective, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) (2019).
Ulleberg O, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 28(1), 21 (2003)
Gallardo FI, Ferrario AM, Lamagna M, Bocci E, Garcia DA, Baeza-Jeria TE, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 46, 13709 (2020)
Gutierrez-Martin F, Amodio L, Pagano M, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, In press (2020), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.09.098.
Mostafaeipour A, Rezayat H, Rezaei M, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 45, 31599 (2020)
Kovac A, Marcius D, Budin L, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 44(20), 9841 (2019)
Rodriguez CA, Modestino MA, Psaltis D, Moser C, Energy Environ. Sci., 7, 3828 (2014)
Bhattacharyya R, Misra A, Sandeep KC, Energy Conv. Manag., 133, 1 (2017)
Shams MH, Shahabi M, MansourLakouraj M, Shafie-khah M, Catalao JPS, Energy, 222, 119894 (2021)
Grimm A, de Jong WA, Kramer GJ, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 45, 22545 (2020)
Lee B, Heo J, Kim S, Sung C, Moon C, Moon S, Lim H, Energy Conv. Manag., 162, 139 (2018)
Lee B, Lee H, Cho HS, Cho WC, Kim CH, Lim H, Sustain. Energy Fuels, 3, 1799 (2019)
Shams MH, Kia M, Heidari A, Zhang D, Simulation, 95, 931 (2019)
Blair N, et al., NREL Rep. No. TP-6A20-61019, Natl. Renew. Energy Lab. Golden, CO, 13 (2014).
Rabiee A, Keane A, Soroudi A, Renew. Energy, 163, 1580 (2021)
Cerchio M, Gulli F, Repetto M, Sanfilippo A, Electronics, 9, 1734 (2020)
Mayyas A, Mann M, DOE Hydrog. Fuel Cells Progr., June (2018).
Turton R, Bailie RC, Whiting WB, Shaeiwitz JA, Analysis, synthesis and design of chemical processes, Pearson Education (2008).
Levene JI, Mann MK, Margolis RM, Milbrandt A, Sol. Energy, 81(6), 773 (2007)
Bertuccioli L, et al., Development of Water Electrolysis in the European Union (2014).
Parks G, et al., Hydrogen Station Compression, Storage, and Dispensing Technical Status and Costs: Systems Integration (2020).
Brigljevic B, Fasahati P, Liu JJ, Comput. Aided Chem. Eng., 44, 337 (2018)
Vimmerstedt L, Akar S, Augustine C, Beiter P, Cole W, et al., 2019 Annual Technology Baseline, Golden, CO (United States) (2019).
Lim JY, Safder U, How BS, Ifaei P, Yoo CK, Appl. Energy, 283, 116302 (2021)
Dickson R, Ryu JH, Liu JJ, Energy, 164, 1257 (2018)
Lee SH, Lim DH, Park K, Appl. Sci., 10, 5391 (2020)
Short W, Packey D, Holt T, Renew. Energy, 95, 73 (1995)
Vimmerstedt L, et al., 2019 Annual Technology Baseline, Golden, CO (2019).
Kojima H, Matsuda T, Matsumoto H, Tsujimura T, J. Int. Counc. Electr. Eng., 8, 19 (2018)
Nicita A, Maggio G, Andaloro APF, Squadrito G, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 45(20), 11395 (2020)
Rezaei M, Naghdi-Khozani N, Jafari N, Renew. Energy, 147, 1044 (2020)
Lee B, Heo J, Choi NH, Moon C, Moon S, Lim H, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 42(39), 24612 (2017)
Felgenhauer M, Hamacher T, Int. J. Hydrog. Energy, 40(5), 2084 (2015)
Nistor S, Dave S, Fan Z, Sooriyabandara M, Appl. Energy, 167, 211 (2016)
Hinkley J, et al., Cost assessment of hydrogen production from PV and electrolysis (2016).