Paper Conference

Proceedings of eSim 2016: 9th Conference of IBPSA-Canada

     

An annual model of a solar hydrogen energy storage system

Brendan McCormick, Stephen J. Harrison, Jon G. Pharoah

Abstract: This study is a preliminary assessment of the sizing, energy flows, and round-trip efficiency of a solarpowered water electrolysis system. The simulated system demonstrates the potential to operate autonomously from the electricity grid. Hydrogen gas is produced during peak solar hours and stored for later use in a fuel cell. The fuel cell delivers power at times of low solar availability. This study found that a hybrid system, combining battery and hydrogen gas storage, could meet an annual load demand of 4800 kWh. The system uses a 5.9 kWp solar array, a 20 kW PEM electrolyzer, a 3.7 kWp PEM fuel cell, and an 1800 Ah battery bank. The overall hydrogen-loop energy efficiency is 6.1%, from PV conversion to reelectrification of H2 in the fuel cell.
Pages: 84 - 94
Paper:
esim2016_42-156