Optimal Planning of Zero-Carbon Off-Grid Ammonia-Hydrogen-Based Microgrids Considering Hybrid Types of Electrolyzer Modules

The off-grid ammonia-hydrogen-based microgrid is recognized as a promising paradigm for industrial decarbonization. In this paper, we propose a novel planning model for off-grid ammonia-hydrogen-based microgrids, where the hydrogen is produced in a distributed manner and the ammonia is synthesized in a large-scale energy-intensive plant. In specific, the proposed planning model considers hybrid types of electrolyzer modules and systematically investigates the operational constraints of distribution networks and hydrogen storage equipment, enabling distributed flexible hydrogen production. To seamlessly bridge distributed hydrogen sources and centralized ammonia production site, the delivery of hydrogen through the transportation network is structured as a vehicle routing problem. Eventually, the effectiveness of the proposed model is validated through case studies. Simulation results show that the proposed model lowers the total system cost by 11.8% compared with the simplified scenario which uses one single type of electrolyzer.