Techno-Economic Analysis of a PV/Electrolyzer/Fuel Cell System for Hydrogen and Electricity Production in Bangladesh

Hybrid energy systems integrating grid, photovoltaic (PV) panels, fuel cells and electrolyzers represent an innovative approach to addressing energy challenges in underserved and remote regions. In Bangladesh's mountainous areas, an integrated system has been designed to harness solar energy efficiently, produce hydrogen through electrolysis, and utilize hydrogen storage and fuel cells to ensure a reliable and uninterrupted energy supply. This configuration effectively mitigates the intermittency of renewable energy sources, paving the way for sustainable and stable energy solutions. The economic and environmental performance of the system was comprehensively analyzed using HOMER Pro software. The results highlight its competitiveness, with a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $0.221/kWh and greenhouse gas emission reductions of approximately 922,686 kg annually. The system also demonstrates the feasibility of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, capable of supporting scalable and adaptable applications across diverse regions of Bangladesh. Additionally, sensitivity analyses confirm the robustness of the proposed system under varying economic and environmental conditions. This hybrid system not only addresses critical energy accessibility issues but also significantly contributes to decarbonization efforts by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting renewable energy integration. The findings offer a replicable framework for similar contexts, providing insights into the scalability of hybrid renewable energy systems and their role in advancing sustainable energy transitions globally. Although the system includes a grid connection by design, the simulation results indicate that the energy demand was fully met by the photovoltaic and hydrogen subsystems without utilizing the grid under the studied conditions.