Resource potential for wind-hydrogen power in Ukraine

The paper provides an assessment of the current wind energy potential in Ukraine, and discusses developmental prospects for wind-hydrogen power generation in the country. Hydrogen utilization is a highly promising option for Ukraine's energy system, environment, and business. In Ukraine, an optimal way towards clean zero-carbon energy production is through the development of the wind-hydrogen sector. In order to make it possible, the energy potential of industrial hydrogen production and use has to be studied thoroughly. Ukraine possesses huge resources for wind energy supply. At the beginning of 2020, the total installed capacity of Ukrainian wind farms was 1.17 GW. Wind power generation in Ukraine has significant advantages in comparison to the use of traditional sources such as thermal and nuclear energy. In this work, an assessment of the wind resource potential in Ukraine is made via the geographical approach suggested by the authors, and according to the "Methodical guidelines for the assessment of average annual power generation by a wind turbine based on the long-term wind speed observation data". The paper analyses the long-term dynamics of average annual wind speed at 40 Ukrainian weather stations that provide valid data. The parameter for the vertical wind profile model is calculated based on the data reanalysis for 10 m and 50 m altitudes. The capacity factor (CF) for modern wind turbine generators is determined. The CF spatial distribution for an average 3 MW wind turbine and the power generation potential for the wind power plants across the territory of Ukraine are mapped. Based on the wind energy potential assessment, the equivalent possible production of water electrolysis-derived green hydrogen is estimated. The potential average annual production of green hydrogen across the territory of Ukraine is mapped. It is concluded that Ukraine can potentially establish wind power plants with a total capacity of 688 GW on its territory. The average annual electricity production of this system is supposed to reach up to 2174 bln kWh. Thus, it can provide an average annual production of 483 billion Nm(3) (43 million tons) of green hydrogen by electrolysis. The social efficiency of investments in wind-hydrogen electricity is presented. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.