Novel renewable seawater desalination system using hydrogen as energy carrier for self-sustaining community

Abstract

This study proposes a novel renewable seawater desalination system in which hydrogen is utilized as an energy carrier to balance the fluctuating electricity supply and demand and provide heat to the desalination system. The proposed system employs a water‑hydrogen nexus framework to achieve an efficient operation for providing electricity, potable water, and green hydrogen. The optimal system configuration that considers seasonal variations in renewable energy production is determined by using a heuristic algorithm. It can sustain flexible and standalone operations with less curtailment. The results demonstrate that the system has an average efficiency of 38.9 %, which is higher than the results reported in previous studies. The daily differences in system efficiency are primarily caused by the solar and water electrolysis systems. Curtailment rates of 5 % to 14 % during the operation are owing to the energy storage capacity and supply-demand balance. A higher utilization rate of water electrolysis and fuel cell systems is beneficial for profitability. However, the present utilization rate ranges from 40 %–60 % for water electrolysis systems and <20% for fuel cell systems. Thus, an integrated net-zero system of water electrolysis and fuel cells is proposed, which can be used as a substitute for traditional fossil-based desalination plants.