Techno-Economic Performance of Renewable-Powered Hydrogen Systems for Residential Electricity Supply

This study presents a techno-economic analysis of green hydrogen production using photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy integrated with proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The renewable systems supply DC power to the electrolyzer, converting water into hydrogen, which is stored and used to fuel a gas turbine for electricity generation to power 400 homes. Weather data, technical and financial parameters, and NREL's SAM simulations are used to estimate plant performance, levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), hydrogen production potential, and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH). Results show that the LCOE for PV and wind plants is 4.57 and 4.28 ¢ /kWh, respectively, whereas levelized cost of creating hydrogen (LCOH) is 6.5 and 8.2 $/kg for PV and wind plants, respectively. Net present value (NPV) analysis indicates that PV projects become profitable after 9.5 years, reaching 17.78 M$ by year 20, while wind projects achieve profitability earlier, after 7 years, and reach 34.79 M$ by year 20. These findings demonstrate the economic viability of integrating renewable energy into hydrogen production for a sustainable, low-carbon electricity supply in the region.