Off-grid hybrid photovoltaic-micro wind turbine renewable energy system with hydrogen and battery storage: Effects of sun tracking technologies

The residential application of renewable energy is on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa with many of these systems using battery storage systems as back-ups; however, the adoption of hydrogen storage systems in household energy system applications has attracted few research attentions. Since the environmental impact attributed to hydrogen storage devices is small, it can serve as a complementary or alternative storage device. Using the hybrid optimisation model for electric renewables software, this study presents a techno-economic and sensitivity modelling of a solar photovoltaic (PV)/micro wind turbine/ fuel cell (FC) energy system backed up with both battery and hydrogen storage devices, under seven solar photovoltaic tracking orientations. Because of their strategic status in sub-Saharan Africa, one location each in South Africa and Nigeria were selected for the implementation of the study. The results show that the optimal energy system for the Nigerian scenario is a PV/ FC/electrolyzer/battery/hydrogen storage system operated in the daily adjusted horizontal axis mode; the total net present cost and the cost of energy for this system is $9421 and $0.754/kWh respectively. As for the South African scenario, the optimal system is also a PV/FC/electrolyzer/battery/hydrogen storage system operated in the dual axis mode; its total net present cost and the cost of energy for the system is $8771 and $0.701/kWh respectively. Overall, the results show that the addition of a hydrogen storage system is technically feasible for most of the sun tracking configurations in both locations of study. Finally, the economic viability of hydrogen storage systems will be increased if the capital costs associated with the hydrogen sub-system is reduced.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the techno-economic feasibility of incorporating hydrogen storage devices in solar PV/micro wind turbine/fuel cell energy systems at two locations in sub-Saharan Africa using a hybrid optimization model. The results showed that the optimal energy systems for Nigeria and South Africa both included PV/FC/electrolyzer/battery/hydrogen storage systems with specific tracking orientations, highlighting the importance of solar tracking configurations in energy system design.