Designing a hydrogen generation system through PEM water electrolysis with the capability to adjust fast fluctuations in photovoltaic power

Abstract

—Hydrogen can be produced through water electrolysis using photovoltaic (PV) power in a way that is both pollution-free and friendly to the environment, rendering hydrogen a clean energy source. Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysis is an efficient hydrogen generation process because of its compact design, fast response, high efficiency and high current density. The fast fluctuations in solar power, however, are difficult for PEM water electrolysers to control effectively. To address the problems caused by intermittent power, a system for producing hydrogen consisting of a solar panel, battery, and commercial PEM electrolyser, alongside an electrical control strategy, is proposed. The Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) Perturb and Observe (P&O) technique is employed for PV systems, while a bidirectional charge controller manages the charging and discharging of the battery. A Proportional-Integral (PI) controller is also utilised for the PEM electrolyser to ensure efficient operation. This setup provides a practical solution for hydrogen production. It enhances efficiency and reduces the risk of damage to the electrolyser, thereby making the process more sustainable and reliable. The proposed approach has been validated by simulation under different conditions. A comparative analysis has also demonstrated that the proposed system can perform well despite having less PV power. When comparing systems with and without batteries for energy storage, the system with the battery for energy storage has a 10% higher energy efficiency under the same operating conditions. This suggests that adding energy storage can increase energy utilization, maintain the DC link voltage constant, and achieve stable hydrogen production.