Development of an optimization model for the feasibility analysis of hydrogen application as energy storage system in microgrids

Abstract

Hydrogen can be used as an Energy Storage System (ESS) in a microgrid allowing to store surplus generation of variable renewable sources for later use. Research in the area mainly refers to the sizing of the components, however few studies evaluate the optimal technology selection and operation of microgrids using hydrogen as ESS. In this work, a model to determines optimal selection and to dispatch of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) allowing to evaluate the viability of hydrogen application as ESS in a microgrid is developed. The model is implemented in GAMS, using mixed integer linear programming, and applied in a hypothetical microgrid using as input data load profiles and commercial data available in literature. The results indicate the economical and environmental benefits of DER adoption, but the currently high investment costs make it infeasible to adopt hydrogen into a microgrid. However, when considering environmental costs and market prospects, the adoption of this technology became a good alternative, improving the energy management and reducing the total annual cost of the microgrid by 14.1%.