THE COST OF ELECTROLYTIC HYDROGEN FROM OFF-PEAK POWER

The cost of electrolytic hydrogen depends on the capacity factor of the plant and the cost of electricity. Both these parameters are correlated if off-peak power is to be used for hydrogen production. Based on assumptions regarding the correlation between the electricity price and the availability of electric power, optimizations were run using a simple cost model for the electrolysis plant. The current density at which the electrolysis plant would be run is taken as a variable for optimization as well as the annual time of availability of electric power. The results of the optimizations show for a number of hypothetical electrolyser types that the optimum operation time or electricity price do not depend much on the technology used. Production cost of electrolytic hydrogen can, however, be cut by 30% by using advanced electrolysis technology. If they can be run at very high current densities, advanced high efficiency electrolysers using more expensive cell components are economically comparable with electrolysers specifically developed for the exploitation of off-peak power.