The Cost-Carbon Trade-off of Green Hydrogen Production
The influence of weather patterns and prioritizing on the design of green hydrogen production chains
K.R. Iwema (TU Delft - Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science)
E. L.V. Goetheer (TU Delft - Energy Technology)
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Abstract
Green hydrogen has a pivotal place in the energy transition, addressing carbon emissions in hard-to-abate sectors. As global hydrogen demand rises, decarbonizing green production becomes vital. This study explores the influence of design choices and local weather patterns on the Carbon Footprint (CF) and Levelised Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) for green hydrogen production.
An optimisation model is developed, simulating the production chain (cradle-to-gate) and optimising it for low CF and LCOH based on location-specific wind and solar data. Three locations (Duqm, Groningen, Dakhla) and three design choices (electrolyser, PV type and wind-solar ratio) are assessed.
Results indicate that local weather patterns significantly affect system performance. Dakhla boasts low production costs due to consistent solar and wind energy. Groningen has a low CF but high LCOH due to ample offshore wind but inconsistent sun. Duqm has a low LCOH but high CF due to abundant sun but inconsistent wind.
Design choices, particularly the solar-wind energy ratio, strongly impact both LCOH and CF. PV technology selection also matters, with CI(G)S performing well overall. Alkaline electrolysis is preferred over PEM.
The research demonstrates that design choices can substantially influence the CF, resulting in serious CF reduction at prices comparable to blue hydrogen.
Future research should include storage, transportation, and off-taker aspects and expand impact categories, including social and critical raw material depletion impact categories.