Definition, analysis and experimental investigation of operation modes in hydrogen-renewable-based power plants incorporating hybrid energy storage

Abstract This paper is concerned with Operating Modes in hybrid renewable energy-based power plants with hydrogen as the intermediate energy storage medium. Six operation modes are defined according to plant topology and the possibility of operating electrolyzer and fuel cell at steady-power or partial load. A methodology for the evaluation of plant performance is presented throughout this paper. The approach includes a set of simulations over a fully validated model, which are run in order to compare the proposed operation modes in various weather conditions. Conclusions are drawn from the simulation stage using a set of Key Performance Indicators defined in this paper. This analysis yields the conclusion that certain modes are more appropriate from technical and practical standpoints when they are implemented in a real plant. From the results of the simulation assessment, selected operating modes are applied to an experimental hydrogen-based pilot plant to illustrate and validate the performance of the proposed operation modes. Experimental results confirmed the simulation study, pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each operation mode in terms of performance and equipment durability.

[1]  Rodolfo Dufo López.  Dimensionado y control óptimos de sistemas híbridos aplicando algoritmos evolutivos , 2007 .

[2]  David Infield,et al.  Electrical integration of renewable energy into stand-alone power supplies incorporating hydrogen storage , 2007 .

[3]  Vigna Kumaran Ramachandaramurthy,et al.  Control strategies for a hybrid renewable energy system: A review , 2015 .

[4]  Maximiliano Melnichuk.  Estudio numérico y experimental de almacenadores de hidrógeno basados en hidruros metálicos , 2010 .

[5]  Spyros Voutetakis,et al.  Optimum design and operation under uncertainty of power systems using renewable energy sources and hydrogen storage , 2010 .

[6]  Huicui Chen,et al.  Main factors affecting the lifetime of Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cells in vehicle applications: A review , 2014 .

[7]  Djamel Boukhetala,et al.  A local energy management of a hybrid PV-storage based distributed generation for microgrids , 2015 .

[8]  Manuel Silva Pérez,et al.  Energy evaluation of a solar hydrogen storage facility: Comparison with other electrical energy storage technologies , 2015 .

[9]  Søren Knudsen Kær,et al.  Energy management strategy based on short-term generation scheduling for a renewable microgrid using a hydrogen storage system , 2014 .

[10]  Felipe Rosa,et al.  Modeling, simulation and experimental set-up of a renewable hydrogen-based domestic microgrid , 2013 .

[11]  Fernando Tadeo,et al.  Predictive control of a renewable energy microgrid with operational cost optimization , 2013, IECON 2013 - 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

[12]  Felipe Rosa,et al.  Design, Planning and Management of a Hydrogen-Based Microgrid , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics.

[13]  Dallia Ali,et al.  Modelling the performance of wind–hydrogen energy systems: Case study the Hydrogen Office in Scotland/UK , 2016 .

[14]  Magnus Korpås,et al.  Opportunities for hydrogen production in connection with wind power in weak grids , 2008 .

[15]  Øystein Ulleberg,et al.  Optimal shifting of Photovoltaic and load fluctuations from fuel cell and electrolyzer to lead acid , 2011 .

[16]  Anastasios I. Dounis,et al.  On battery-less autonomous polygeneration microgrids: Investigation of the combined hybrid capacitors/hydrogen alternative , 2015 .

[17]  Ø. Ulleberg.  The importance of control strategies in PV–hydrogen systems , 2004 .

[18]  C. Bordons,et al.  Power management using model predictive control in a hydrogen-based microgrid , 2012, IECON 2012 - 38th Annual Conference on IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

[19]  Jorge A. Solsona,et al.  High-performance sensorless nonlinear power control of a flywheel energy storage system , 2009 .

[20]  Dong-Jun Won,et al.  Power management strategy of stand-alone hybrid system to reduce the operation mode changes , 2009, 2009 Transmission & Distribution Conference & Exposition: Asia and Pacific.

[21]  T. Alamo,et al.  Economic model predictive control of a smartgrid with hydrogen storage and PEM fuel cell , 2013, IECON 2013 - 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

[22]  Luis M. Fernández,et al.  Sizing optimization, dynamic modeling and energy management strategies of a stand-alone PV/hydrogen/battery-based hybrid system , 2013 .

[23]  P. Seferlis,et al.  Power management strategies for a stand-alone power system using renewable energy sources and hydrogen storage , 2009 .

[24]  Felipe Rosa,et al.  Influence of wind turbine power curve and electrolyzer operating temperature on hydrogen production , 2011 .

[25]  Erkan Dursun,et al.  A mobile renewable house using PV/wind/fuel cell hybrid power system , 2011 .

[26]  David Muñoz de la Peña,et al.  Periodic Economic Control of a Nonisolated Microgrid , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[27]  Erik Zakrisson,et al.  The Effect of Start/Stop Strategy on PEM Fuel Cell Degradation Characteristics , 2011 .

[28]  G. Sandrock,et al.  Cyclic life of metal hydrides with impure hydrogen: Overview and engineering considerations , 1984 .

[29]  José L. Bernal-Agustín,et al.  Techno-economical optimization of the production of hydrogen from PV-Wind systems connected to the electrical grid , 2010 .

[30]  F. R. Pazheri.  Tri-generation based hybrid power plant scheduling for renewable resources rich area with energy storage , 2015 .

[31]  Bruno Francois,et al.  Energy Management and Operational Planning of a Microgrid With a PV-Based Active Generator for Smart Grid Applications , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[32]  Fotis Stergiopoulos,et al.  The effect of the hysteresis band on power management strategies in a stand-alone power system , 2008 .

[33]  Hernán De Battista,et al.  Evaluation of hydrogen production capabilities of a grid-assisted wind-H2 system , 2011 .

[34]  F. Barbir.  PEM electrolysis for production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources , 2005 .

[35]  Joao P. S. Catalao,et al.  New control strategy for the weekly scheduling of insular power systems with a battery energy storage system , 2015 .

[36]  A. J. Calderón,et al.  Estimation of the state-of-charge of gel lead-acid batteries and application to the control of a stand-alone wind-solar test-bed with hydrogen support , 2012 .