Baseload electricity and hydrogen supply based on hybrid PV-wind power plants

Abstract The reliable supplies of electricity and hydrogen required for 100% renewable energy systems have been found to be achievable by utilisation of a mix of different resources and storage technologies. In this paper, more demanding parameter conditions than hitherto considered are used in measurement of the reliability of variable renewable energy resources. The defined conditions require that supply of baseload electricity (BLEL) and baseload hydrogen (BLH2) occurs solely using cost-optimised configurations of variable photovoltaic solar power, onshore wind energy and balancing technologies. The global scenario modelling is based on hourly weather data in a 0.45° × 0.45° spatial resolution. Simulations are conducted for Onsite and Coastal Scenarios from 2020 to 2050 in 10-year time-steps. The results show that for 7% weighted average cost of capital, Onsite BLEL can be generated at less than 119, 54, 41 and 33 €/MWhel in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050, respectively, across the best sites with a maximum 20,000 TWh annual cumulative generation potential. Up to 20,000 TWhH2,HHV Onsite BLH2 can be produced at less than 66, 48, 40 and 35 €/MWhH2,HHV, in 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050, respectively. A partially flexible electricity demand at 8000 FLh, could significantly reduce the costs of electricity supply in the studied scenario. Along with battery storage, power-to-hydrogen-to-power is found to have a major role in supply of BLEL beyond 2030 as both a daily and seasonal balancing solution. Batteries are not expected to have a significant role in the provision of electricity to water electrolysers.