Modeling of Integrated Renewable Hydrogen Energy Systems for Remote Applications

Conclusion

TRNSYS was chosen as a viable platform for performing simulations on the proposed SHES. The main components of the energy system are a photovoltaic array, PEM electrolyzer, PEM fuel cell, battery, pressurized hydrogen storage unit, controller, and electric load. The simulation code was customized in order to model the specific characteristics of proposed system components. A realistic load profile, with a daily peak of 10 kW and daily average of 2.5 kW, was chosen as an example application for the renewable energy produced by the SHES system, and system components have been designed and optimized to meet this load with zero percent system downtime. Results from simulations of two cases, one with a battery array storage capacity of 125 Ah and one with 1905 Ah, demonstrate that a system trade-off exists among size of the PV array, hydrogen storage capacity, and battery array storage capacity. A system with a smaller battery array storage capacity requires a larger PV array and hydrogen storage tank to support the system’s electricity requirements, and may be more costly. The details of this cost analysis, along with the potential to store oxygen produced by the electrolyzer and the use of metal hydrides to store hydrogen, have been left until a system cost optimization is conducted.