Comprehensive 3E -energetic, economic, and environmental-analysis of a hybrid solar dish-Brayton engine and fuel cell system for green hydrogen and power generation

This work aims to assess the energy, economic, and environmental performance of a novel hybrid solar dish Bryton engine and fuel cell (SDBE-FC) system for generating green hydrogen and electricity. The system includes solar dish units, fuel cells, an electrolyzer, a converter, and a hydrogen storage tank. The study introduces a novel SDBE-FC system, replacing typical photovoltaic/fuel cell setups, to achieve higher efficiency and improved financial and environmental competitiveness. A vigorous energy-enviro-economic analysis is carried out using MATLAB/Simulink® to model system components. Key parameters have been analyzed, including the electrolyzer efficiency, flow rate, power, and the SDBE plant and FC stack's power, area, and efficiency. The total levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and the reduction in CO₂ emissions are also calculated. Results showed that using 50 stacked fuel cells achieved an efficiency of 7%, increasing the number of staked fuel cells to 400 increased the efficiency by eightfold achieving a peak power of 297 kW. The efficiency and power output of the fuel cell decreased by 16% and 22.2%, respectively, when the operational temperature increased from 40 °C to 80 °C. Furthermore, LCOE as low as 0.218 US$/kWh was achieved using 25 SDBE units at 1100 °C. At 30 kW, the SDBE system produces 750 kW of power with 18.3% efficiency and occupies 4099.8 m² as the temperature (T_h) reaches to 1100 °C. The SDBE, with a rated power range of 15 kW–30 kW, achieved a 390.8% CO₂ emissions reduction, amounting to 34,120.76 tons of CO₂, when 25 SDBE units were utilized.