Hydrogen Production Through Renewable Energies in Areas of High Irradiation Conditions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52825/solarpaces.v3i.2437Keywords:
PEM Electrolyzer, AWE Electrolyzer, CSP, PV, WTAbstract
This study evaluates the operation of a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer and an Alkaline Water Electrolyzer (AWE), coupled with Concentrated Solar Power (CSP), Photovoltaic (PV), and Wind Turbine (WT) power plants in a region characterized by high solar irradiance and moderate wind speeds. Each technology is modeled and integrated into fourteen different configurations, seven of which are coupled with a PEM electrolyzer, and the remaining seven with an AWE electrolyzer. Hourly simulations are conducted for one year to determine annual hourly production. Subsequently, the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) are calculated for two scenarios: the current state and projections for 2030. Results indicate that the LCOE ranges from 48.19 to 118.18 USD/MWh, while the LCOH varies from 3.56 to 14.13 USD/kg H2. By 2030, these values are projected to decrease to between 38.57 and 87.99 USD/MWh for LCOE and between 2.87 and 8.22 USD/kg H2 for LCOH. However, these LCOH values are still higher than those for grey hydrogen derived from fossil fuels. If reductions in LCOE and electrolyzer investment costs are achieved, green hydrogen could become more cost-competitive. These findings provide critical insights for policymakers considering strategies for green hydrogen production.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Roberto Leiva-Illanes, German Amador, Alvaro Cespedes, Cynthia Herrera
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Accepted 2025-05-05
Published 2025-11-19
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Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María
Grant numbers PID2301-UTFSM