Multi-year energy performance data for an electrolysis-based hydrogen refueling station

Abstract

Financing, sizing, operating, or upgrading a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) is challenging and may be complex, much more so in today's rapidly changing and growing hydrogen industry. There is a significant information gap regarding experimental hydrogen station activities. A high-level perspective on such data and information may facilitate the transition between present and future HRS operations. To address the need for such high-level perspective, this paper presents a comprehensive data set on the performance of the California State University Los Angeles Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, based on multi-year operational data. The analysis of over 4500 refueling events and over 8800 kg of hydrogen dispensed, as well as the operation of the facility electrolyzer and of both storage and refueling compressors from 2016 to 2020, reveals a comprehensive picture of HRS energy performance and the identification of useful key performance indicators. In 2016, the station's energy efficiency was 25%, but in 2017 and the first three quarters of 2018, it dropped to 15%. Station-specific energy consumption increased during these quarters. The 2020 first quarter energy consumption was between 70 and 80 kWh/kg. At this time, the energy efficiency of the station reached 40%.This research is based on an unprecedented and unique dataset of an HRS operating under real-world conditions, with an approach that can be informative for modeling the performance of other stations, providing a dataset that HRS designers, operators, and investors may utilize to make data-driven choices regarding HRS components and their specs and size, as well as operating strategies.