Comprehensive techno-econo-environmental modelling of renewable hydrogen supply chains

Abstract

The research in this thesis has explored, investigated, and analysed renewable hydrogen supply chain opportunities and optimisation through techno-econo-environmental modelling. The modelling incorporates capital and operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions for all equipment and/or vehicles needed in hydrogen production, transportation, dispensing, and consumption. The key parameters for optimisation and evaluation include annual hydrogen production capacity, levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH), total costs of vehicle ownership, and carbon abatement. Hydrogen can be produced from wind or solar via distributed or centralised electrolyser and compressed before storing or using it. The electrolyser operations are generally modelled under three different modes: (1) curtailed wind operation, (2) available wind operation, and (3) full capacity operation. Different electrolyser technologies and electricity prices are also investigated. The capacity and cost of hydrogen transportation using tube trailers from the production site to its closest end-user location are modelled and evaluated. In addition, location-allocation algorithms in a Geographic Information System environment are applied to optimise transportation routes. Applications of hydrogen investigated in this study include gas grid injection, heating, and transport. The modelling works in this thesis find that wind and solar can produce 100% green hydrogen. Curtailed, exportable, and available wind electricity are used in the modelling. The integration of wind and solar with additional batteries can increase hydrogen production capacity and reduce the LCOH. The LCOH can be used to size the equipment for producing hydrogen. The optimum equipment sizes are selected at the minimum LCOH. Using cost-effective hydrogen, the operational costs of some hydrogen-fuelled buses, trucks, and refuse collectors are almost as competitive as diesel.