Simultaneous design and scheduling optimization of the photovoltaic-wind-hydropower-hydrogen hybrid system

Hydrogen production through both proton exchange membrane (PEM) and alkaline water electrolyzers provides a potential solution for enhancing electricity utilization in the photovoltaic (PV)-wind-hydropower system. This study proposes a novel simultaneous design and scheduling optimization model for the PV-wind-hydropowerhydrogen hybrid system. The detailed operating characteristics and constraints of both PEM and alkaline water electrolyzers, including cold/warm start-up and load range, are investigated to enhance the reliability of the optimization model. The Big-M method is utilized to convert the original optimization model into a mixed integer linear programming model for reducing the computational complexity. Finally, a case study in the Yalong River basin of China is employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results illustrate that the coordinated scheduling among the hydropower station and electrolyzers could significantly improve the comprehensive performance of the hybrid system. Integrating PEM and alkaline electrolyzers could improve the economic benefits by 73.32% and 53.02%, respectively, compared to employing a single PEM and alkaline electrolyzer. It is thus indicated that the proposed approach could provide a promising solution for the optimal design and scheduling of PV-wind-hydropower-hydrogen hybrid systems.