Evaluation of renewable intermittency on electrolysers for hydrogen LCOH in Australia
Project lead
Dr Nawshad Haque, Nawshad.Haque@csiro.au
Lead researchers
Dr Nikolai Kinaev
Dr Sarb Giddey
Gary Paul
Craig Broadley
Saad Sonny
Prof Firoz Alam (RMIT University)
Challenge
Hydrogen is a clean fuel that only produces water when consumed in a fuel cell, so it is considered an appealing fuel option for various applications.
Several methods are available for producing hydrogen, with natural gas reforming (a thermal process) and electrolysis being the most common methods. An electrolyser utilises electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through the electrolysis process.
System integration (connecting electrolysers directly to the electricity grid) is likely to reduce both the cost and the reliability of hydrogen energy systems.
This research examines the impact of intermittent renewable energy sources on hydrogen production through electrolysers, focusing on efficiency, feasibility, and environmental implications of solar powered electrolysis.
The research gap
- Long-term data on the direct coupling between intermittent power sources and the electrolyser is lacking. Instead of direct coupling, most studies use numerical analysis or simulations. Experimental studies rely on power emulators to simulate and replicate intermittent power patterns, rather than directly utilizing those sources.
- A one-year analysis is crucial for optimizing renewable energy systems, enhancing electrolyser reliability, mitigating negative consequences, and informing sustainable and economically viable scaling and integration of renewables. In-depth analysis is necessary to gain insights and make informed decisions about renewable integration.
- The research aims to integrate battery storage systems with PV-PEM Electrolysers to identify and analyse how the inclusion of the battery impacts the PV-PEM-based hydrogen generation system.
What we are doing
An evaluation framework, methodology and tool will be developed to answer research questions such as:
- How to quantify the amplitude and frequency of intermittency
- How the temperature of the feed water affects the hydrogen output
- How electrolyser voltage, hydrogen pressure, H2 purity, and production rates are related to intermittent power input.
This project will generate and collect measured data utilising CSIRO’s Centre for Hybrid Energy System (CHES). The facility can collect data regarding the cell voltage, cell current, irradiance, hydrogen, temperature of the water, temperature of the cabinet etc.
A weather station is currently under commissioning stage at the CSIRO CHES Lab to collect meteorological and other required data.
A research setup is ongoing at the RMIT Renewable Energy Lab to collect meteorological and renewable energy-related data.
The research involves:
- Conducting a comprehensive literature review on solar power, renewable energy intermittency, and electrolyser technologies.
- Exploring the characteristics of electrolyser units, including efficiency, performance, and response to power intermittency.
- Developing a methodology to quantify the effects of intermittent solar power generation on power output, water consumption, and hydrogen generation by the electrolyser.
- Conducting rigorous experiments to gather precise data on solar energy generation and its intermittency at a selected location.
- Utilising reliable weather station data to estimate solar energy intermittency while accounting for sunlight availability.
- Discussing potential challenges in implementing intermittent solar energy systems and proposing strategies for such as energy storage.
- Evaluating the economic viability of solar power electrolysis considering installation costs, maintenance, and potential savings.
- Assessing the feasibility of solar powered electrolysis in various contexts and potential barriers and enablers for widespread adoption through detailed economic analysis encompassing capital and operational costs and potential revenue streams.
- Quantifying energy intermittency and assessing storage options.
Experiment setup
Outcomes to date
Research facilities have been commissioned at CSIRO.
Literature review – current state of the art
- Direct coupling of electrolysers with renewables is feasible.
- PEM electrolysers are better suited for use with intermittent power sources, such as wind and solar power, due to their high efficiency and faster response rate than that of the alkaline electrolyser.
- Renewable energy and the 2050 carbon goal boosted green hydrogen’s popularity as a fuel. Cheaper renewable energy made green hydrogen production using electrolysis more attractive. It’s eco-friendly because it does not use fossil fuel-based electricity and reduces carbon emissions.
- As per the available literature, renewable intermittency or power fluctuation may affect electrolyser performance.
Lessons learned
Building the research facility requires significant time before actual data collection.
Project finish date
June 2026