Eight scenarios where high efficiency reversible solid oxide cells (rSOC) are combined with an offshore wind farm are identified. Thanks to the PyPSA power system modelling tool combined with a sensitivity study, optimized rSOC system capacities, hydrogen storage capacities, and subsea cable connection capacities are investigated under various combinations of rSOC system capital cost, prices paid for hydrogen, and electricity prices, which give indications on the most profitable scenario for offshore hydrogen production from a 600 MW wind farm situated 60 km from shore. Low electricity prices (yearly average 45 pound/MWh) combined with mild fluctuations (standard deviation 6 or 13 pound/MWh) call for dedicated hydrogen production when the hydrogen price exceeds 4 pound/kg. High electricity prices (yearly average 118 or 204 pound/MWh), combined with extreme fluctuations (standard deviation between 73 and 110 pound/MWh), make a reversible system economically profitable. The amount of hydrogen which is recommended to be reconverted into electricity depends on the price paid for hydrogen. Comparison of the optimized cases to the default case of a wind farm without hydrogen production improved profit by at least 3% and up to 908%. Comparison to the default case of dedicated hydrogen production, showed that in the case of low hydrogen prices, an unprofitable scenario can be made profitable, and improvement of profit in the case of a profitable default case starts at 4% and reaches numbers as high as 324%. Python for Power System Analysis (PyPSA) was used to investigate optimum capacities of a reversible Solid Oxide Electrolyser and Fuel Cell (rSOC) system when combined with an offshore wind farm. The optimisation used wind data, electricity demand curves, day-ahead electricity prices and costs for various components of the system to determine the best solution for a given set of parameters between dedicated hydrogen production and partial or full reconversion of hydrogen into electricity. image
