Comparative analysis of associated cost of nuclear hydrogen production using IAEA hydrogen cost estimation program

Abstract

The interest in non-electric applications of nuclear energy is rising ranging from hydrogen production, district heating, seawater desalination, and various industrial applications to provide long-term answers for a variety of energy issues that both present and future generations will confront. Hydrogen is a dynamic fuel that can be used across all industrial sectors to lower carbon intensity. This study, therefore, aims at estimating the cost of nuclear hydrogen production from some light water reactors using International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Hydrogen Calculator (HydCalc) program and comparing the result with similar existing studies conducted by other scholars using the Hydrogen Economic Evaluation Program (HEEP) program. The study employs six existing Light Water Reactors (LWRs) comprised of Korea Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MW electricity (APR1400), Russian VVER-1200, Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant in Ohio, Prairie Island NPP in Minnesota, Nine Mile Point NPP in New York, and Arizona Public Service's Palo Verde NPP to evaluate the Levelized cost of nuclear hydrogen production. Estimation of hydrogen demand was performed without carbon dioxide (CO2) tax since nuclear power has zero CO2 emission. The Levelized costs obtained using IAEA HydCalc and HEEP Programme were compared as follows; APR1400 cost are 2.6$/kg and 3.18$/kg, VVER1200 cost are 3.8$/kg and 3.44$/kg; Exelon cost are 1.7$/kg and 4.85$/kg; Davis Besse cost are 3.9$/kg and 3.09$/kg; Parlo Verde cost are 3.5$/kg and 4.77$/kg; Xcel Energy cost are 3.63$/kg and 0.69$/kg. The cost of hydrogen production using HEEP for Xcel Energy's Prairie Island NPP is 0.69 $/kg. This is because the reactor utilizes High Temperature Steam Electrolysis, method of hydrogen production, while the other methods employs Low Temperature Electrolysis. The results shows that the final price of the hydrogen for each reactor technology depends not only on the production method but also on the cost of the nuclear power plant and the production rate of the hydrogen plant.