Techno-enviro-socio-economic assessment and sensitivity analysis of an off-grid Tidal/Fuel Cell/Electrolyzer/Photovoltaic hybrid system for hydrogen and electricity production in Cameroon coastal areas

Abstract

Coastal regions in Cameroon, including Douala, Kribi, Campo, Dibamba, and Limbe, faced persistent electricity challenges driven by grid instability, growing demand, and dependence on fossil fuels. Solar resource availability was high but intermittent, whereas tidal energy was predictable and energy-dense yet underused. This pilot delivers the first Cameroonian assessment of an off-grid tidal/PV/electrolyzer/hydrogen-storage/fuel-cell architecture, explicitly co-optimizing electricity service and green hydrogen production, and evaluating performance with a tri-metric economic lens (net present cost, levelized cost of electricity, and the levelized cost of hydrogen). The system was optimized to minimize net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) and three tidal-flow scenarios were analyzed to represent hydrokinetic variability. The design served households, small businesses, fishing activities, schools, and health facilities with a baseline demand of 389.50 kWh/day; surplus renewable power drove the electrolyzer to produce hydrogen for later reconversion in the fuel cell. Under the first scenario (1.25 m/s average speed), the optimal mix comprised 137 PV modules (600 W each), a 100 kW fuel cell, six 40 kW tidal turbines, six 10 kW electrolyzers, a 19.5 kW converter, and 41 hydrogen tanks (40 L each), yielding an NPC of US$ 2.16 million, an LCOE of US$ 0.782/kWh, and a LCOH of US$ 19.2/kg of hydrogen. The second scenario (1.47 m/s) required only 12 PV modules, one electrolyzer, and an 11.3 kW converter, lowering costs to an NPC of US$ 1.52 million, an LCOE of US$ 0.553/kWh, and a LCOH of US$ 15.4/kg of hydrogen. In the third scenario (1.61 m/s), the configuration shifted to 298 PV modules, three tidal turbines, eight electrolyzers, and a 39.6 kW converter, resulting in the highest NPC (US$ 2.47 million) and LCOE (US$ 0.901/kWh), with a LCOH of US$ 18.8/kg of hydrogen. The study also contributes a transparent, component-wise employment indicator linking installed capacities/energies to jobs; deployment is expected to create about seven local jobs during installation and early operation, tidal turbines (3), solar panels (1), electrolyzers (1), hydrogen tanks (1), and fuel cell (1), with additional minor operation and maintenance positions thereafter. Social analysis indicated improved energy access, support for local livelihoods, and job creation; environmental results confirmed clean operation with limited marine disturbance. A sensitivity study varying capital and replacement-cost multipliers showed robust performance across economic conditions. Taken together, these contributions provide a decision-ready blueprint for coastal communities: a first-of-its-kind Cameroonian hybrid that quantifies both electricity and hydrogen costs (including feasible LCOH) and demonstrates socio-economic co-benefits, offering a cost-effective pathway to strengthen energy security, foster local development, and reduce environmental impact.