Techno-economic evaluation and improved sizing optimization of green hydrogen production and storage under higher wind penetration in Aqaba Gulf

On shore wind farms designed for hydrogen production present a promising avenue for maximizing the utilization of wind energy, achieving decarbonization and energy security objectives across various sectors. However, existing understanding of these systems, particularly in terms of economic and technical considerations, remains challenging. Hence, this paper introduces a comprehensive numerical modeling aimed at assessing the feasibility of hydrogen production from onshore wind farms for the arid costal community south of Aqaba Gulf, Saudi Arabia. This model incorporates formulas to compute wind power output, electrolyzer plant sizing, and hydrogen generation based on fluctuating wind speeds. The objective is to identify the optimal setup for a hydrogen station fueled by high wind resources, while also evaluating its economic feasibility and reliable capacity to reduce hydrogen production cost and minimize carbon emissions. The results show that the optimal Onshore WindHydrogen System (OWHS) consists of 26 units of WT (each is 6.15 MW), Alkaline Electrolyzers plant with a capacity of 120 MW, and a group of hydrogen storage tanks of total size of 300 tones. The hydrogen demand and the subsidiary electric needs are successfully met with the 160 MW of wind generation capacity installed within the system with negligible capacity shortage and unmet demand. The employed set of alkaline electrolyzers has a total rated capacity of 120 MW and can stay in operation for 7335 h/yr to produce a total annual amount of 8,214,152 kg/yr of green hydrogen. The proposed system generates hydrogen with a moderate price since the LCOH obtained is found 5.26 $/kg which falls within the global range that varies from 4 to 6 $/kg. Moreover, the CO2 mitigation of the designated OWHS reaches 3343.72 Mt. with a corresponding $133,748 carbon credit gain. The sensitivity analysis shows that the total net present cost (TNPC) is highly sensitive to wind speed, hydrogen cost, and hydrogen demand but less so to inflation and discount rates. The TNPC increases by 22 % with a 5 % decrease in wind speed, as well as reducing hydrogen costs by 25 % and 50 % decreases TNPC by 14.63 % and 29.26%, respectively. While, increasing hydrogen demand by 20% and 40% raises TNPC by 30.3 % and 51.4%, respectively. This study aims to assist stakeholders and policymakers in refining onshore wind-hydrogen systems to economically fulfill the requirements of hydrogen production for the arid costal community in Saudi Arabia.