Life cycle cost assessment of geothermal energy assisted hydrogen liquefaction for sustainable and renewable energy applications: Case study and adaptation for Afyon geothermal power plant

This study presents a comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) of geothermal-assisted hydrogen liquefaction, explicitly focusing on the Afyon Geothermal Power Plant (AGPP) as a case study. The study evaluates the economic viability and sustainability of integrating geothermal energy into hydrogen liquefaction. The results of the LCCA contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable energy solutions, offering a nuanced understanding of the economic considerations associated with geothermal-assisted hydrogen liquefaction. The study serves as a model for assessing the economic feasibility of similar systems, fostering informed decisionmaking in the pursuit of cleaner and more economically sustainable energy pathways. This study has conducted a technical and economic investigation of liquid hydrogen production using geothermal heat and electricity effects. Geothermal water pre-cools the hydrogen by providing heat to the absorption system. Then, the electricity generated in the geothermal plant is used to work in the liquefaction cycle. The generated electricity is used to liquefy hydrogen in the liquefaction cycle. The capacity of the electricity generated from the AGPP produced here is 2621 kW. The proposed system can be achieved by pre-cooling unit H2 up to -30 degrees C at 120 degrees C and 150 kg/s geothermal source. In the liquefaction cycle, 0.84 kg/s H2 can be liquefied. As a result, the total energy efficiency of the proposed system can be calculated as 32.4% and exergy efficiency as 15.4%. The system's net present value (NPV) was calculated as 65,320,000 $. When life cycle cost analysis was performed using the levelized annual cost (LAC) method, the project's levelized cost was calculated as 7,673,000 $/yr. The unit cost of the liquid hydrogen produced is 1.252 $/kg. This system's discounted payback period (Ndpp) is calculated as 3.48.