Experimental and simulation analysis of green hydrogen production with integration of solar cell and electrolyser systems
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The growing demand for clean energy and carbon emission reduction has driven interest in green hydrogen production. While prior studies on photovoltaic-proton exchange membrane (PV-PEM) integration have focused mainly on simulations or small-scale experiments, they often lack real-world variability and comprehensive economic feasibility analysis. The novelty of this study lies in developing and validating a solar-powered PEM electrolyser model that accurately predicts hydrogen flow rates under dynamic solar conditions. The model is validated using experimental hydrogen generation data. Optimal solar PV panel selection is performed using a Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) approach. Ten solar panels are evaluated through system performance and techno-economic assessment, including Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH). Panel 3 (US-Solar USS-QCMI-2-54-200) is recommended, offering 22 % system efficiency, an LCOE of ∼ 1.6 $/kWh, and an LCOH of ∼ 6.6 $/kg. By integrating experimental validation, computational modeling, and economic analysis, this study bridges the gap between simulations and real-world PV-PEM applications for green hydrogen. The developed tool is reliable and easy to use for predicting hydrogen production, which is important for supporting the clean energy from different power sources.
Source: Fuel
Authors: S. Shanmugasundaram, Abhranil Mitra, Deepesh Nayak, Thangaraja Jeyaseelan, P. Sureshkumar, R.Raja Singh
Institution: Vellore Institute of Technology University
Language: English
Subfield: Energy Engineering and Power Technology
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,330
OpenAlex ID: W4416089581