Integration of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Sources Into an Off-Grid System for the Generation of Green Electricity and Hydrogen
Abstract
The technical and economic feasibility of off-grid hybrid systems for green hydrogen production was evaluated, integrating photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbines (WT) with lithium-ion battery storage (BS) and proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (PEME) across three regions of Chile with distinct solar and wind resources. Hourly simulations assessed electricity generation, hydrogen production, and levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) and hydrogen (LCOH). Complementarity between solar and wind improves generation stability and electrolyzer operation. In Atacama, high solar irradiance and moderate wind allowed the PV+WT+BS system to achieve the lowest LCOE (108.8 USD/MWh) and LCOH (7.78 USD/kg H₂). In Magallanes, abundant wind favors WT+BS configurations. Systems relying solely on internal combustion engines (ICE) with natural gas exhibited higher costs (LCOE 218.6 USD/MWh, LCOH 12.7 USD/kg H₂) and CO₂ emissions. Battery storage mitigates renewable intermittency and optimizes electrolyzer utilization, while oversizing increases CAPEX without proportional benefits. Energy curtailment analysis highlighted hydrogen’s role as a flexible storage vector. Hybrid renewable configurations offer technical viability and economic competitiveness for decentralized green hydrogen production, with resource availability critical for system design and cost-effectiveness. Strategic deployment in regions with high solar and wind potential maximizes efficiency and sustainability.
Keywords
PV, WT, Hydrogen, Electricity, Renewable Energy, Off-grid systems, Internal combustion engine