Scientists have simulated a solar-powered hydrogen production system consisting of 32,050 photovoltaic panels, a pumping system, a seawater reverse osmosis desalination unit, an electrolyzer and a hydrogen storage tank. Operating the system in Oman could potentially generate a levelized electricity cost of $0.05/kWh and a levelized hydrogen cost of $9.5/kg.
A research team from the University of Exeter in the UK has simulated an off-grid green hydrogen production system, powered by floating photovoltaic (FPV) technology and seawater reverse osmosis desalination (SWRO), designed to support green mobility in Oman.
The system was believed to operate in the Arabian Sea, in the port city of Duqm, about 600 km south of Muscat.
“A key novelty of this system is the synergy between FPV, desalination and hydrogen production, which provides an alternative to ground-mounted PV, freshwater-dependent electrolysis and battery-electric vehicles,” said corresponding author Aritra Ghosh. pv magazine. “The results present a clear, practical roadmap for the Gulf region and other warm-climate regions to harness abundant solar and seawater resources, enabling large-scale hydrogen production without competing for land or freshwater.”
Based on long-term meteorological data obtained from Meteonorm 8.1, the site receives an annual global horizontal irradiation (GHI) of 2,094.7 kWh/m² and an annual diffuse horizontal irradiation of 890.2 kWh/m². The average annual ambient temperature is 26.62 C, with monthly variations ranging from about 22.5 C in January to 30.7 C in May.
The system generates electricity using 32,050 monocrystalline bifacial modules, each rated at 600 W and with an efficiency of 21.2%, for a total array size of approximately 20 MW. The electricity generated is distributed to seawater pumps, a reverse osmosis (RO) desalination unit and a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The 122.5 kW pump moves seawater from the coast to a 31.59 m³/day desalination unit. The fresh water is then used in a 9.9 MW electrolyser to produce hydrogen, which is stored in a Type III composite tank, from which drivers of various hydrogen cars and buses can refuel their vehicles.
Using the PVsyst simulation software, the floating PV array was found to produce an annual energy yield of 33.68 GWh with a specific production of 1,751 kWh/kWp/year and a performance ratio of 78.7%. In addition, the system had a daily hydrogen production of 1,755 kg/day, achieving a levelized cost of water (LCOW) of $1.8/m³.
“This study found that the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) was $0.05/kWh and the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) was $9.5/kg. In comparison, the global weighted average LCOE for solar is $0.043/kWh, and the target LCOH for green hydrogen in 2030 is $4.5-6.5/kg,” Ghosh said. “These results clearly demonstrate the viability of the proposed integrated FPV-SWRO hydrogen system, highlighting its competitiveness and strong potential for future optimization.”
In conclusion, the scientist said that they are already conducting follow-up research. “We are now aiming in two directions: first, developing a more optimized strategy to reduce LCOH, and second, assessing the long-term effects on PEM electrolyser performance,” said Ghosh.
The system was introduced in “Floating PV-powered seawater purification using RO process and electric electrolyser for green hydrogen production in Oman,” in Solar compass.
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