MODELING THE FLEXIBLE OPERATION OF ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION IN A LOW-CARBON ENERGY SYSTEM

MODELING THE FLEXIBLE OPERATION OF ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION IN A LOW-CARBON ENERGY SYSTEM

Wind and solar electricity are increasingly deployed worldwide as part of efforts to reduce consumer costs and support decarbonization targets. These renewable energy resources are typically characterized by low-capacity factors (between 25% and 51%) and generation profiles that do not match grid electrical load demands [1,2].

To increase the uptake of variable renewable energy (VRE) on the grid and to more efficiently utilize available renewable energy sources, electrolyzers could be deployed as flexible assets. However, technical and economic factors need to

INTRODUCTION In a future low carbon energy system, flexible assets such as electrolyzers could be deployed to increase the uptake of variable renewable energy (VRE) on the grid and to utilize available renewable energy sources more efficiently. An understanding of the technical and economic factors with VRE use and hydrogen production in electrolyzers need to align across electricity supply, hydrogen production, and hydrogen offtake/use. Hydrogen’s role in the changing energy landscape is yet to be determined and could vary significantly across investors, utilities, vendors, and end users.

Modeling electrolyzers, especially at a systems scale, is crucial to understanding how they can be optimized for overall hydrogen production. Research is needed to investigate the effect of variations in temporal and spatial resolutions of variables (O&M costs and electrical current availabilty) on the total hydrogen production in electrolyzers. This would help stakeholders make best use of their available assets while minimizing the cost of hydrogen production from electrolyzers. 13376220 1

Sectoral training

MODELING THE FLEXIBLE OPERATION OF ELECTROLYZERS FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION IN A LOW-CARBON ENERGY SYSTEM align across electricity supply, hydrogen production, and hydrogen offtake/use. Flexibility in the power system can be characterized by the system’s ability to respond to changes in electricity supply and demand [3]. Increased VRE penetration in the electrical grid induces uncertainty in the security of supply [4]. Furthermore, flexibility and grid-balancing requirements are needed at all time scales and could range from short-term frequency regulation to long-term resource adequacy measures. Seasonal variation in VRE supply could also lead to requirements for longer-duration energy storage when fossil fuels with CO₂ abatement are not available or deployed

Offshore Wind and Hydrogen