Solar Powered Hydrogen Production Research Articles

Modelling and optimisation of PV-PEMEC hydrogen generation system considering partial shading conditions

This study addresses the adverse effects of PSC on both PV output and PEMEC performance. It establishes a PV-PEMEC hydrogen production simulation model considering complex PSC scenarios. The analysis delves into the impacts of PSC on electrolyzer performance, including internal overpotential, internal pressure variation, and electrolysis efficiency. A hybrid GMPPT algorithm based on IGWO and AP&Q is proposed to mitigate PSC effects on the electrolyzer. The algorithm enhances population initialization with chaotic mapping and antagonistic learning mechanisms within the GWO algorithm. Additionally, it incorporates Levy flight and random walk strategies to improve local search capability, coupled with AP&Q to enhance convergence speed. Results indicate significant impacts of PV array PSC on PEM electrolyzer internal electrochemical mechanisms, particularly affecting Ohmic and diffusion overvoltages. Different local shading scenarios cause continuous fluctuations in electrolysis efficiency, more pronounced at lower current densities. PSC induces substantial fluctuations in hydrogen partial pressure and fewer fluctuations in oxygen partial pressure. The IGWO-AP&Q hybrid algorithm exhibits high responsiveness and tracking efficiency, yielding the highest PV-PEMEC electrolysis efficiency. This study effectively integrates complex multi-scenario PSC with PEMEC for solar-powered hydrogen production, laying a solid theoretical foundation for regions with high solar indices.

Enhanced photocathode performance and stability for solar-powered hydrogen production through SiNWs@NC composite

Solar-powered photoelectrochemical hydrogen production has received garnered significant attention, yet the development of efficient, stable, and cost-effective photocathodes remains a formidable challenge. In this study, we achieved a breakthrough by fabricating a SiNWs@NC composite photocathode through a straightforward electrodeposition and calcination process. Notably, the incorporation of nitrogen-doped carbon as a co-catalyst not only facilitated efficient electron transfer within the photocathodes, but also serves as a protective layer, effectively mitigating the photocorrosion of SiNWs and enhancing overall stability. Under a bias voltage of −0.85 V vs. RHE and visible light irradiation, the SiNWs@NC electrode exhibited exceptional performance, achieving a peak photocurrent density of 25.41 mA·cm−2 and an ABPE efficiency and 8.8 %. This pioneering work presents a promising solution for photocatalytic hydrogen production, highlighting the advantages of its facile preparation, superior photovoltaic performance, and remarkable stability.

Energy analysis of solar powered hydrogen production system with CuO/water nanofluids: An experimental investigation

Electrolysis is the process used to produce hydrogen using external electrical energy. Because of less initial and operating cost, less maintenance required, and simple construction, hydrogen production via water electrolysis has gained more attention among users globally. In this current attempt, a novel solar-powered hydrogen generation system was established and tested in different operating circumstances. Throughout the study, nanofluids with concentrations of 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% were utilized, and their effect on electrical performance and hydrogen production rate was examined. Compared to conventional solar panels, the usage of nanofluids resulted in a significant improvement in electrical power productivity and hydrogen output rate. The highest electrical efficiency is with a 0.2% volume fraction of CuO/water nanofluids at 13.5% at Noon. During the same period, the lowest and highest hydrogen yield rates are found for the conventional PV module and 0.2% volume fraction CuO/water nanofluids-based system as 7.9 ml/min and 18.2 ml/min, respectively.

A GIS-based multi-criteria decision-making approach for site suitability analysis of solar-powered hydrogen production in the Souss-Massa Region, Morocco

The transition towards sustainable energy systems underscores the significance of hydrogen production through renewable resources. This study investigates the potential for solar-hydrogen conversion in the Souss-Massa region using a comprehensive approach that integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. Ten distinct criteria, grouped into technical and economic categories, are evaluated to identify optimal areas for hydrogen generation, with environmental criteria being used as exclusion factors. Hydrogen production potential emerges as the primary determinant, with the western region, emerging as a focal point for solar-hydrogen projects. A comparative analysis between AHP and Fuzzy AHP (FAHP) results demonstrates the robustness of the methodology. Sensitivity analysis sheds light on the impact of criteria weighting on suitability outcomes, providing valuable insights for decision-makers and energy stakeholders. The study further quantifies avoided CO2 emissions and presents compelling Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) and the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). The LCOE is found to be as low as 35.75 $/MWh, positioning the proposed solar-hydrogen conversion selected location as a cost-effective energy site. The LCOH for the designated location stands at 2.9 $/kg, reflecting its competitive stance. These findings collectively underscore the environmental and economic viability of sustainable hydrogen production in the Souss-Massa region.

Solar-powered hydrogen production scales beyond the lab

Solar-powered hydrogen production scales beyond the lab

Use of hybrid MCDM methods for site location of solar-powered hydrogen production plants in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a developing country where energy demand is rising, and it has many problems in the energy supply sector. This issue leads to a mismatch between energy consumption and supply in this country. Most of the country’s energy supply comes from natural gas. A major part of Uzbekistan’s energy demand can be provided by solar power. The purpose of this study is to determine the position of using solar energy to generate hydrogen in 13 provinces of Uzbekistan. This study is performed by using the Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) for criteria weighting and using the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS), the COmplex PRoportional Assessment of alternatives (COPRAS), the Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS), and the Weight Sum Model (WSM) for ranking locations. The results of criteria weighting with SWARA show that the top three most important criteria are solar radiation, sun hours, and average wind speed with weights of 0.248, 0.2, and 0.154, respectively. All ranking methods identify Bukhara province as the most suitable place in Uzbekistan for solar-powered hydrogen production. It is estimated that 1539.2 MW of solar power and 24.92 tons of hydrogen are produced annually in Bukhara.

Hydrogen production using solar energy and injection into a solid oxide fuel cell for CO2 emission reduction; Thermoeconomic assessment and tri-objective optimization

The integrated biomass gasification-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology combines benefits of renewable and hydrogen energy-based systems. In this work, this system is incorporated with solar-powered hydrogen production and injection into the SOFC to provide higher hydrogen concentration in fuel mixture of the SOFC. Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer (PEME) is employed for hydrogen production, meanwhile its required power is generated by solar Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) panels. The proposed system with hydrogen injection is modeled and its performance is evaluated and compared with that of conventional integrated biomass gasification-SOFC system in terms of thermodynamics, environmental impacts and economics. In thermoeconomic assessment, the environmental damage costs resulted from CO2 emissions as the primary greenhouse gas is taken into account. Via conducting a parametric study the major design variables are determined and then, a tri-objective optimization is performed based on levelized product cost, CO2 emissions, and exergy efficiency. It is found that, the proposed system has significantly lower CO2 emissions compared to the conventional system. Under optimal operation, the proposed system with hydrogen injection yields lower CO2 emission by 12.9% and higher output power by 8.7% at the expense of 6.3 percentage points reduction in exergy efficiency, compared to the conventional system. Despite the additional costs associated with the solar PVT panels and electrolyzer, the proposed system yields almost the same product cost compared to the conventional system. This point can be accounted as an important and remarkable advantage for the proposed system in this work.

Exploring graphene quantum dots@TiO2 rutile (0 1 1) interface for visible-driven hydrogen production in photoelectrochemical cell: Density functional theory and experimental study

Insufficient knowledge on multiple processes at the interface of different phases of one-dimensional titanium dioxide (1D TiO2) photoanodes hinders the efficiency of solar-powered hydrogen production in a photoelectrochemical cell. Density functional theory (DFT) and experimental studies were performed to identify the interface characteristics of the heterojunction formation between 1D TiO2 (011) surface and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) for the enhancement of photocatalytic hydrogen production. The interfacial electronic structure, charge transfer, and optical characteristics of the GQD@TiO2 rutile (011) – 2 × 1 surface were simulated and experimentally validated using Hubbard modified generalised gradient approximation (GGA + U). Both theoretical and experimental results confirmed the extension of optical absorption into the visible range and frequent charge transfer from GQD to the TiO2 rutile (011) surface, facilitating electron-hole separation and reducing charge recombination rate. Furthermore, the formation of highly crystalline TiO2 rutile (011) nanorods with uniform distribution of GQDs was validated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results. The hydrogen production rate over GQD@TiO2 rutile (011) photoanode was 31063 µmol g−1 h−1, nearly five times more efficient than the pristine TiO2 rutile (011). Also, a mechanism for photogenerated electron transfer and energy-band-matching at the hybrid interface was proposed.

Maneuvering Intrinsic Instability of Metal Nanoclusters for Boosted Solar-Powered Hydrogen Production.

Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) have recently been unleashed as novel photosensitizers but inevitably suffer from light-induced self-transformation to metal nanocrystals (NYs), leading to substantially reduced photoredox activities. Herein, we conceptually demonstrate how to manipulate the intrinsic instability of metal NCs for smartly crafting long-range cascade charge transfer chain assisted by an ultrathin poly(dialyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) layer that was intercalated at the interface of metal NCs and semiconductor. The unidirectional electron flow endowed by Schottky-type self-transformed metal NYs and unexpected electron-withdrawing capability of PDDA layer concurrently foster the charge transfer cascade, resulting in the markedly enhanced net efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performances under visible light irradiation. Our work opens new frontiers for judiciously harnessing the inherent detrimental instability of metal NCs for boosted charge transfer toward solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Performance assessment of a solar powered hydrogen production system and its ANFIS model

Apart from many limitations, the usage of hydrogen in different day-to-day applications have been increasing drastically in recent years. However, numerous techniques available to produce hydrogen, electrolysis of water is one of the simplest and cost-effective hydrogen production techniques. In this method, water is split into hydrogen and oxygen by using external electric current. In this research, a novel hydrogen production system incorporated with Photovoltaic – Thermal (PVT) solar collector is developed. The influence of different parameters like solar collector tilt angle, thermal collector design and type of heat transfer fluid on the performance of PVT system and hydrogen production system are also discussed. Finally, thermal efficiency, electrical efficiency, and hydrogen production rate have been predicted by using the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) technique. Based on this study results, it can be inferred that the solar collector tilt angle plays a significant role to improve the performance of the electrical and thermal performance of PVT solar system and Hydrogen yield rate. On the other side, the spiral-shaped thermal collector with water exhibited better end result than the other hydrogen production systems. The predicted results ANFIS techniques represent an excellent agreement with the experimental results. In consequence, it is suggested that the developed ANFIS model can be adopted for further studies to predict the performance of the hydrogen production system.

GIS based multi-criteria decision making for solar hydrogen production sites selection in Algeria

Hydrogen production from renewable energy sources appears to be an interesting solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring the energy security supply. This paper develops an integrated framework to evaluate land suitability for hydrogen production from solar energy site selection that combines multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) with geographical information systems (GIS); an application of the proposed framework for Algerian country. In GIS two types of criteria will be taken: constraints and weighting criteria. Constraints criteria will make it possible to reduce the area of study by discarding those areas that prevent the implementation of installing solar hydrogen production systems. These criteria will be obtained from the legislation (land use, water bodies, waterways, roads, railways, power lines, and also their buffer around them). Weighting criteria will be chosen according to the objective to be reached, in this case they will be the hydrogen demand, potential solar hydrogen production, digital elevation models (DEMs), slope, proximity to roads, railways, and power lines. Through the use of MCDM the criteria mentioned will be weighted in order to evaluate potential sites to locate a solar hydrogen production installation system. Analysis and calculation of the weights of these criteria will be conducted using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). As a result, the final index model was grouped into four categories as “very low suitability”, “low suitability”, “moderate suitability” and “high suitability” with a manual interval classification method. The results indicate that 10.34% (246,272.02 km2), of the study area has very low suitability, 60.75% (1,446,907.65 km2) has low suitability, 6.68% (159,100.3 km2) has moderate suitability and 0.49% (11,669.21 km2) has high suitability for a solar-powered hydrogen production installation system. The other 21.74% (517,790.5 km2) of the study area is not suitable for such projects. The sensitivity analysis highlights that the suitable sites for solar hydrogen production installation system are dependent on the weights of the criteria that influence the decision. The MCDM methodology integrated with GIS is a powerful tool for effective evaluation of the solar-powered hydrogen production sites selection.

Solar-powered overall water splitting system combing metal-organic frameworks derived bimetallic nanohybrids based electrocatalysts and one organic solar cell

Solar-powered water splitting is expected to be a promising route for sustainable hydrogen production. However, its wide implementation is hampered by expensive electrocatalysts and photovoltaic apparatus. Herein, we designed a low-cost overall water splitting system combining flexible catalyst electrodes and one novel organic solar cell. The flexible electrodes contain carbon fabric functionalized with nitrogen-doped carbon encased iron-cobalt bimetallic phosphide and sulfide nanohybrids as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. The electrolyzer for overall water splitting can realize a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a low cell voltage of 1.60 V and remain stable in long-time durability test in alkaline media. Moreover, when driven by one organic solar cell, our system yields a record high water-splitting current density of 7.5 mA cm−2 with a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of 9.2%. The above results demonstrate its potential as a real-life solar-powered hydrogen production system.

Hydrogen Supply Chains for Mobility—Environmental and Economic Assessment

Hydrogen mobility is one option for reducing local emissions, avoiding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and moving away from a mainly oil-based transport system towards a diversification of energy sources. As hydrogen production can be based on a broad variety of technologies already existing or under development, a comprehensive assessment of the different supply chains is necessary regarding not only costs but also diverse environmental impacts. Therefore, in this paper, a broad variety of hydrogen production technologies using different energy sources, renewable and fossil, are exemplarily assessed with the help of a Life Cycle Assessment and a cost assessment for Germany. As environmental impacts, along with the impact category Climate change, five more advanced impact categories are assessed. The results show that from an environmental point of view, PEM and alkaline electrolysis are characterized by the lowest results in five out of six impact categories. Supply chains using fossil fuels, in contrast, have the lowest supply costs; this is true, e.g., for steam methane reforming. Solar powered hydrogen production shows low impacts during hydrogen production but high impacts for transport and distribution to Germany. There is no single supply chain that is the most promising for every aspect assessed here. Either costs have to be lowered further or supply chains with selected environmental impacts have to be modified.

Unconventional Water Splitting Platforms

Renewable hydrogen has the potential to reshape our fossil fuel based energy infrastructure as it would allow the integration of a larger share of clean energy sources. Electrolysis of water is one of the most promising pathways toward clean hydrogen production. Although high efficiency electrolyzers are commercially available, their high cost has been a major obstacle for their large scale deployment. Design simplifications of these devices are necessary in order for clean hydrogen fuel to be deployed. Here, we demonstrate two proof-of-concept devices for water splitting which differ significantly from their conventional counterparts. The first one is a membrane-less electrolyzer which by balancing fluid mechanic forces manages to keep the produced oxygen and hydrogen gas streams separated as shown in Figure 1. This allows the system to operate without commonly required ion conductive membranes, and in this way could reduce the electrolyzer’s cost and enhance its efficiency. The second device absorbs water from humid ambient air streams in a Nafion thin-film as demonstrated in Figure 2. The absorbed water molecules split into hydrogen and oxygen streams which are later collected at independent collection ports. The design simplicity of this system makes it appropriate for solar powered hydrogen production since integration of photoactive components can be easily implemented. Currently, integration of photoelectrodes into these devices is underway. Large scale implementation of the membrane-less device is another ongoing effort.

Power management control for off-grid solar hydrogen production and utilisation system

Climate change concerns, increasing global energy demand, coupled with pending peak supply of fossil fuels, calls for development of new power source. The rapid price drops for solar technologies and combined with international and national policy changes makes solar energy more affordable and accessible for widespread adoption. Solar energy also contributes towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The combination of electrolysis of water and fuel cells, which use hydrogen as an energy carrier extends the utility of the solar energy. For an integrated solar powered hydrogen production, storage and utilisation system, one of the elements that needs to be designed carefully is the power management system. Power management strategy has a complex function in this type of solar hydrogen system. This paper presents a power management strategy based on fuzzy logic technology to address the problems.The target of this power management strategy is to use the solar power to meet the power demand, then utilise any addition power to maximise the hydrogen production, and minimise the usage of battery at the same time. Therefore, the overall system's efficiency will be increased and lifetime of the battery pack will be extended.The numerical results based on real solar data for a one year period shown that the proposed fuzzy logic controller can direct the power flow wisely between different elements such as load, electrolyser, fuel cell and battery, it is capable of meeting the daily power demand of an office block and using the excess solar power to produce hydrogen as far as possible while maintaining the battery's state of charge in a desired region in order to extend the lifespan of the battery.

Modeling of Hydrogen Production in a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System

A stand-alone renewable photovoltaic energy system can be used to meet the energy requirements of off-grid remote area applications. The excess photovoltaic energy with respect to load demand is transformed and stored as hydrogen gas via an electrolyzer. The stored hydrogen represents a long-term transportable form of fuel for fuel cell. To analyze the system performance and design the control strategy, it is necessary to develop a system model for the solar powered hydrogen production process. The operational characteristics of the photovoltaic array, the proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE), and the power converters are investigated. The maximum power output of the photovoltaic array is matched to the operating voltage of the PEMWE by the DC-DC converters. Simulation results of the PV-PEMWE hydrogen production process are discussed.

Optimization of solar powered hydrogen production using photovoltaic electrolysis devices

Hydrogen fuel for fuel cell vehicles can be produced by using solar electric energy from photovoltaic (PV) modules for the electrolysis of water without emitting carbon dioxide or requiring fossil fuels. In the past, this renewable means of hydrogen production has suffered from low efficiency (2–6%), which increased the area of the PV array required and therefore, the cost of generating hydrogen. In this research, the efficiency of the PV-electrolysis system was optimized by matching the voltage and maximum power output of the photovoltaics to the operating voltage of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The optimization process increased the hydrogen generation efficiency to 12% for a solar powered PV-PEM electrolyzer that could supply enough hydrogen to operate a fuel cell vehicle.

PSCAD/EMTDC modeling and simulation of solar-powered hydrogen production system

This paper presents an effective modeling and simulation scheme of solar-powered hydrogen production system (PV-SPE: Photovoltaic-Solid Polymer Electrolyte). Hydrogen can provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy supply, which can enhance world's economy, environment and security. In the coming decades, the world will need new energy supplies and an upgraded energy infrastructure to meet the growing demands for electric power and transportation fuels. Existing production technologies can produce vast amounts of hydrogen from hydrocarbons; unfortunately, they emit large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO 2) into the atmosphere. Renewable technologies such as solar and wind need to be further developed in order for hydrogen production to be more cost-competitive than other sources. In this paper, we focused on a renewable technology that can advance the commercial readiness of the solar-powered hydrogen production system. Software (PSCAD/EMTDC) based model of PV-SPE system is used to effectively simulate a hydrogen production system. To verify the simulation results, we implemented an actual PV-SPE system. The actual values obtained from the data acquisition system were compared to the simulation results.