Volume 21: Sustainable Energy Solutions for a Post-COVID Recovery towards a Better Future: Part IV

Heat and Power Management and Economic Assessment of a Green Hydrogen-Based Microgrid Employing a Reversible Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Califano Marco, Sorrentino Marco, Pianese Cesare, Rosen Marc Allen

Abstract

This paper proposes and examines a highly integrated microgrid based on a reversible solid oxide cell, aimed at satisfying electrical and thermal loads of a 20-unit residential complex as well as the requests of electric and fuel cell vehicles. Such a system has been conceived as a profitable ready-made solution to be embedded into existing plants already equipped with renewable energy sources (i.e., wind farm and photovoltaic panels) by means of a reversible solid oxide cell and energy storage technologies. A dynamic programming-based routine has been suitably implemented as an algorithm for both electrical and thermal sides of the plant managing the power split indices. In addition, an external routine has been deployed to consider the economic aspects; in particular, attention has been paid to a levelized cost of energy analysis allowing for comparisons with current reliable energy generation technologies. The analyses involved parametric assessments of multiple reversible solid oxide cell sizes and economic discount rates while fixing the lifetime of the plant at 30 years. In accordance with the results of the optimal microgrid design, by exploiting 100% of the rSOC working time (shared by mode as 40% fuel cell and 60% electrolyzer) a simple payback period of 5.97 years has been achieved along with a levelized cost of energy index value in the 0.1 €/kWh-0.2 €/kWh range.

Keywords green hydrogen, multigeneration, reversible solid oxide fuel cell based microgrid, hydrogen storage, thermal energy storage, renewable energy sources