Optimal Investment and Flexible Operation of Power-to-Hydrogen Systems Increasing Wind Power Utilisation

One of the biggest challenges today is how net-zero carbon emission pathways for the industry will evolve by 2050. The solution space includes heavy utilisation of renewables for the electrification of industrial processes and the use of renewable molecules. It is expected that more than 200 GW of offshore wind power will be installed in the North Sea region by 2050, which necessitates the need for bulk power transport together with storage facilities. Hydrogen production and storage systems can help balance the electricity grid and facilitate the maximum utilisation of offshore wind energy. Such systems also will affect the expansion requirements of electricity grids by reducing wind power curtailments and employing the existing natural gas network and hydrogen pipelines. This research investigates the optimal operation of a coupled wind-hydrogen system, which supplies green hydrogen to the industrial sites and injects it into the natural gas grid. The produced hydrogen can be utilised as a long-term storage medium for electricity generation as well. Moreover, in order to maximise the total annual profits and renewable energy utilisation ratio, the optimal design of the hydrogen system is studied by using historical data from the Belgian energy markets. The preliminary results show that net power curtailment can be reduced up to 63% by making use of the excess energy to produce hydrogen.