Hybrid Solar PV-Battery-Hydrogen System for 100% Renewable Energy Standalone Microgrid Development: Feasibility Study

R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis, Indigenous culture and communities, Energy systems integration

Lead Organisation:
Murdoch University

Partners:
Cundaline Resources, Balance Group, Gemtek Automation

Status:
Completed

Start date:
June 2021

Completion date:
June 2023

Key contacts:
Dr Martin Anda – M.Anda@murdoch.edu.au
Dr GM Shafiullah – GM.Shafiullah@murdoch.edu.au
Prof Parisa Bahri – P.Bahri@murdoch.edu.au 
Mr Furat Dawood – Furat.Dawood@nurdoch.edu.au

Funding:

$75,000 by WA Government-JTSI-Renewable Hydrogen Fund
$25,000 by Murdoch University
$80,00 in-kind by Murdoch University
$20,000 in-kind by Cundaline Resources
$10,000 in-kind by Balance Group
$10,000 in-kind by Gemtek Automation

Project total cost:
$220,000 AUD 

Project summary description:

Hydrogen as an energy carrier and energy storage medium has been introduced and evaluated to replace existing or developed conventional Diesel powered stand-alone (off-grid) microgrids in the great regional of WA.  

Murdoch University will conduct a feasibility study into a standalone power system for an indigenous community in the Pilbara using 100% renewable energy.  The study will develop a stand-alone microgrid with hybrid hydrogen-battery-based energy storage system through a partnership approach with the localities and the industries that could be transferrable to other regions of WA, and for export to regional developing island states. 

The proposed system comprises, solar PV renewable energy generation and battery-hydrogen-based energy storage system. The aim of developing renewable hybrid microgrids is to diversify the renewable energy storage for secure, reliable and eco-friendly energy supply when grid connection is not viable. A 100% renewable stand-alone microgrid system can be achieved by resilient, robust and sufficient energy storage systems to stabilize the variable and intermittent renewable energy resources. Hydrogen as an energy carrier introduces a new approach to store the excess RE with the merits of longer storage periods and ease of storage capacity expansion. This system is called Power to Hydrogen to Power (P2H2P) which is a promising option for storing intermittent renewables and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and regeneration of power when needed. 

 Related publications and key links:
Not applicable

Higher degree studies supported:
Not applicable

 

Reviewed: September 2023