Techno-economic Assessment of Hydrogen Production Using Solar Energy

Concerns related to climate change, environmental pollution and security of energy supply have led several countries to reconsider their means of energy production and examine their dependence on other countries. Portugal was the first country in the world to assume the goal of being carbon neutral in 2050. Renewable energies will play a very significant role in our energy future. However, most renewable energy sources are intermittent by nature and the production from such sources can be difficult to forecast with great accuracy. From this perspective, hydrogen can assume a central role, being simultaneously presented as an efficient option to promote, and facilitate the energy transition and at the same time present several opportunities for economic, scientific, and technological development. In this paper, a study is presented that makes it possible to identify the main costs associated with the production of hydrogen, through the electrolysis process using solar energy as a source of electrical energy production. The study makes it possible to evaluate different scenarios, taking into account the uncertainties associated with the evolution of electricity prices, the evolution of costs associated with electrolysers and the electrolyser load factor. For each of the scenarios, the hydrogen production costs in €/kg H2 are identified, allowing the assessment of the attractiveness of the investments, and helping investors in their decision. © 2022, European Association for the Development of Renewable Energy, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ). All rights reserved.