Valuation of combined wind power plant and hydrogen storage: A decision tree approach

Abstract

This article analyses the profitability of a wind power plant in combination with a hydrogen storage. We distinguish between off- and on-shore locations with a 50 MW unit. The hydrogen of the storage unit can be used to either be re-electrified or directly marketed. The study analyses the profitability of a combination of power-plant and hydrogen storages under different scenarios. The profitability is measured by means of the Decision Tree Approach. This approach allows combining different paths of Discounted Cash Flow calculations under various scenarios and accounts for uncertainties of investment decisions. Our results show that re-electrification is not profitable under any scenario in our framework (Germany). On the contrary, wholesale of hydrogen can lead to positive returns, depending on the underlying parameters, regardless of the location of the power plant.