Levelised hydrogen production costs for a standalone photovoltaic powered system in Australia

Abstract

This article presents an analysis of levelised costs of producing hydrogen via the photovoltaic electrolysis in Australia. Eight locations (Darwin, Alice Springs, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Mildura, Melbourne, and Hobart) covering six climate zones in Australia are selected for the analysis. They receive varying solar radiation to produce electricity by using photovoltaic systems. In the present work, a standalone photovoltaic electrolysis and hydrogen engine system for 69 kWh_e of daily electricity used is studied. Photovoltaic system is designed based on the minimum average monthly solar irradiation received for each selected location. The required photovoltaic array sizes are determined at the optimal slopes of the solar panels. By using the electricity generated from the photovoltaic, hydrogen is generated in electrolyser. The levelised cost of hydrogen was determined and found to be AU$ 6.79-10.62 kg^-1. The electrolyser cost was found to be 52-55% of the life cycle cost of the system. Therefore, the cost of an electrolyser is the determinant factor for the levelised hydrogen production cost.