Can hydrogen storage be used in a small-scale electric power (off-grid) system?

This paper presents the purpose, advantages, system constitution, operation method and estimation results of using hydrogen storage in a small-scale electric power (off-grid) system when renewable energy sources are introduced.

Is green hydrogen a suitable off-grid energy storage option?

Gray et al. [ 54] evaluated a green hydrogen system based on solar PV, H 2 storage, PEM electrolyzer, and PEM fuel cell, considering a small-scale reference system. The authors concluded that MH is a suitable off-grid energy storage option because of its reliability and safety features.

Could green hydrogen be produced in off-grid communities?

Green hydrogen could be produced in off-grid communities to take advantage of renewable energies’ surplus electricity production by converting and storing the excess energy over demand as another clean energy source (H 2 ).

How is the hydrogen storage system sized?

The sizing of the hydrogen storage system takes place after determining the maximum energy generation from the PV and WTGs, and the minimum load power. The ELZ utilizes surplus energy to produce a maximum of 23 kg of hydrogen per hour.

Can a large-capacity hydrogen storage system meet the demand for energy storage?

For instance, if the portion of electricity with rapid fluctuations and the user’s peak load are relatively small, a larger-capacity CB could serve as the base load for energy storage, while a smaller-capacity hydrogen storage system could meet the demand for rapid-response energy storage.

Can off-grid hybrid energy systems meet the load demand?

Singh et al. investigated an off-grid hybrid energy system based on PV, battery banks and hydrogen storage, and they found that fuel cells and battery banks can meet the load demand during periods of low solar availability.