Produciton Planning and Management of Green Hydrogen : Produced through water electrolysis using renewable energy sources and electricity grid integration

Sammanfattning

As the global demand for decarbonization intensifies, green hydrogen is emerging as a key pillar in the transition to sustainable energy systems. With its potential to serve as a clean energy carrier across sectors such as industry and transportation, large-scale hydrogen production offers a promising pathway to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This work focuses on the production planning and management of a large-scale green hydrogen system powered by Renewable Energy Sources (RES) such as wind and solar. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a comprehensive literature review, mathematical modeling, and optimization techniques using Python (Spyder) to simulate operational strategies under various scenarios. The study investigates how to maximize energy utilization, minimize operational costs under a carbon dioxide emissions constraint (3 kg CO2/kg H2), and optimize the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) by varying parameters such as renewable generation capacity, electricity prices, and storage costs. Key findings highlight the importance of integrating high-efficiency electrolyzers and using dynamic production planning that responds to long- and short-term variations in energy supply and pricing. Incorporating renewable electricity through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and forecasting tools significantly improves system reliability and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, the analysis revealed that there is an optimal system scale after which profitability decreases due to asset under-utilization. Ultimately, securing stable and affordable renewable electricity is crucial for making green hydrogen economically viable on a scale.