Enhancing flexibility in wind-powered hydrogen production systems through coordinated electrolyzer operation

Abstract

Wind-powered water electrolysis for hydrogen production is a sustainable and environmentally friendly energy technology. However, the inherent intermittency and variability of wind power, significantly damage the stability and efficiency of the hydrogen production system. To enhance the operational flexibility and system efficiency, a novel wind-hydrogen production system is proposed, which integrates a new coordination of the conventional alkaline electrolyzers (AEL) and proton exchange membrane electrolyzers (PEMEL), for optimizing the dynamic operation of the system under fluctuating wind power. The developed approach employs variational mode decomposition to classify wind power fluctuations into different frequency components, which are then allocated to suitable type of electrolyzers. The configurations of the developed system are optimized using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm, and the operating scenarios are dynamically analyzed through clustering techniques. Compared to the AEL-only system, the proposed system demonstrates significant enhancements, with energy efficiency and internal rate of return increased by 5.78 % and 10.65 %, respectively. Meanwhile, the coordinated operation extends the continuous operating time of the AEL by 7.08 %. The proposed approach enhances the economic viability and operational stability of wind-powered hydrogen production, providing a valuable reference for industrial green hydrogen applications.