Techno-economic analysis and optimization of solar and wind energy systems for hydrogen production: a case study

Water electrolysis can produce hydrogen by using a photovoltaic array as an electrical source to power the electrolyzer. Combining multiple energy sources has the potential to increase hydrogen production while also meeting other electrical needs. As Oman is planning to develop green hydrogen production, this study is proposed to help the private and governmental sectors to invest in the green hydrogen industry. In this study, the unique geographical location of Salalah and the meteorological data collected were utilized in the hybrid energy arrangement to generate electricity and produce a significant amount of hydrogen in Salalah using HOMER (Hybrid optimization model for electric renewables). The findings showed that the wind turbine (WT), photovoltaic (PV), fuel cell (FC), and hydrogen tank (HT) hybrid energy system is economically viable when compared to its counterparts in other systems and was chosen to meet Salalah in Oman's electrical and hydrogen production needs. The PV-WT-FC-HT hybrid energy system is clearly the best option for the proposed hydrogen project in Salalah because it has the lowest Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH), 1.15 ($/kg), and Cost of Energy (COE), 19.0 ($/kWh).

Automated summary

This study proposes an economically viable PV-WT-FC-HT hybrid energy system for meeting the electrical and hydrogen production needs in Salalah, Oman, by utilizing a unique geographical location and meteorological data.