Integration of renewable energies using the surplus capacity of wind farms to generate H2 and electricity in Brazil and in the Rio Grande do Sul state: energy planning and avoided emissions within a circular economy

Hydrogen is a clean fuel capable of promoting sustainable energy development. The effective use of surplus energy from wind plants appears as a promising method to produce hydrogen. Accumulating surplus energy through hydrogen production and storage can solve the problem of energy excess, making energy available on-demand. This article explored the potential of hydrogen production from wind energy in three distinct scenarios of surplus energy, and the amount of electricity generation for Brazil and its regions. To a scenario of 6-h of energy excess, the potential for hydrogen production from wind energy was equal to 1.48E + 07 Nm(3).d(-1). The state of Rio Grande do Sul reached a potential of 1.10E+06 MWh.month(-1) of electricity generation using H-2. Taking into account a payback-time of 3.5 years, the cost of hydrogen production was 0.402 US$.kWh(-1). Hydrogen ensures greater energy security in times of energy shortages through biofuel storage. The main goal was to show the possibilities of diversifying the national electrical matrix and the wind resources contribution to the Circular and H-2 Economy in the country. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.