Solar energy-assisted hydrogen production and its utilization in a hybrid fuel cell system: a planning for different regions of Türkiye

ABSTRACT

Interest to renewable energy sources has been increasing while the environmental impacts of fossil-based fuels have been becoming more and more evident day by day. For this reason, in this examination, the design of solar energy-assisted hybrid systems integrated with fuel cells has been realized. Taking into account the sunshine hours in seven cities in different regions of Turkey (Ankara, Antalya, Erzurum, Sanliurfa, Izmir, Izmir, Istanbul, and Trabzon), the energy production of a photovoltaic system with an installed power of 1000 kW and a hybrid system with a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), which is planned to be installed, were theoretically calculated and compared. In the study 91,549.8 kg of hydrogen can be produced using the annual electricity generation of Şanlıurfa, which has a long sunshine duration, and stored in a volume of 1,089,879.18 m³. In this framework, using this hydrogen, an annual average of 4118.5 MW of electricity can be generated from the PEM fuel cell. On the other hand, the lowest sunshine duration is observed in Trabzon. Even in provinces with less sunshine hours, such as Trabzon, the energy increase provided by the hybrid system is negligible. Therefore, the daily amount of hydrogen produced in Trabzon can be calculated as 178.62 kg and, hence 2892.8 MW of electricity can be produced annually in the PEM fuel cell. If the energy needs of cities with high populations such as Istanbul and Erzurum were met by a hybrid system with PEMFC instead of a photovoltaic system with an installed capacity of 1000 kW, 907.74 MW and 945.02 MW more electricity was generated, respectively. These analyses provided a comparative evaluation of the solar potential of each region as well as the performance of photovoltaic systems and PEMFC hybrid systems. This study is seen as an important step toward determining the effectiveness of different technologies in Turkey’s energy transition process and developing appropriate energy solutions at the local level.

KEYWORDS:

• PEM fuel cell
• renewable energy
• hybrid system
• green hydrogen
• PV system

Highlights

• Designing of solar energy-assisted hybrid systems integrated with fuel cell

• Evaluating PV panels, electrolyzer, tanks, and PEM fuel cell

• Considering seven provinces of different regions in Türkiye

• Obtaining annual average electricity generation to be 2892.88-4118.58 MW

• Sunshine duration is an effective parameter for electricity generation

Nomenclature

A [cm2]	=	Active cell area
a [V], b [cm2$\mathrm{m}{\mathrm{A}}^{-1}$]	=	Constants
${\mathrm{C}}^{\ast }$[mol/cm3]	=	Concentration
${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [V]	=	Potential – Ideal performance
F [96450 C/mol]	=	Faraday constant
I [Ampere]	=	Current
i [Ampere/cm2]	=	Current density
l [cm]	=	Polymer thickness
${\mathrm{M}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [kg]	=	Mass
${\mathrm{n}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [-]	=	Number
${\mathrm{P}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [W]	=	Power
P [kPa, atm]	=	Pressure
R [Kj/kmol K]	=	Universal gas constant
${\mathrm{R}}^{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ $[\mathrm{\Omega }$ cm2]	=	Resistance
${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [Ω cm]	=	Resistivity
T [K]	=	Temperature
${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [m3]	=	Volume
${\mathrm{V}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [V]	=	Potential
${\mathrm{v}}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$ [V]	=	Polarization loss
$\mathrm{W}$ [W]	=	Work
$\mathrm{F}$ [W]	=	Energy
Abbreviation	=
PEM	=	Proton exchange membrane
PV	=	Photovoltaic
GHG	=	Greenhouse gas
Greek symbols	=
${\mathit{\eta }}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$	=	Efficiency
${\mathit{\xi }}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$	=	Semi-empirical constant
${\mathit{\zeta }}_{\mathit{\hspace{0.17em}}}$	=	Stoichiometric ratio
Subscripts	=
1, 2, 3	=	Items
A	=	Anode
C	=	Cathode
O2	=	Oxygen
H2	=	Hydrogen
in	=	Inlet
comp	=	Compressor
act	=	Activation
conc	=	Concentration
ohm	=	Ohmic
fc	=	Fuel cell
cell	=	Cell
tank	=	Tank
M	=	Membrane
int	=	Internal
sat	=	Saturation
E	=	Electrolyzer
nerst	=	Nerst

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nisa Nur Atak

Nisa Nur Atak is currently in her fourth year at Gazi University, Department of Energy Systems Engineering, where she started her education in 2020. Nurdil Teknik Soğutma has worked as an intern at the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and Electricity Generation Corporation (EÜAŞ). During her undergraduate education, she successfully completed the project titled “Using Renewable Energy Resources in Greenhouse Activities in Central Anatolia Region”, which was accepted with in the scope of TÜBİTAK 2209-A University Students Research Projects Support Program. She is currently conducting a study supported by GAZİ BAP (Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit) with the project title “Exergy of Using TIO2 Nano Fluid Additives to Diesel Fusel Oil Fuel Blends in Internal Combustion Engines”. She has many papers presented in symposiums, three book chapters and articles published in international journals.

Battal Dogan

Battal Doğan graduated from Kırıkkale University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering in 2000. He completed his master’s degree in 2002 and his doctorate in 2010 at Kırıkkale University, Institute of Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering. He worked as a Research Assistant and Lecturer at Kırıkkale University. He served as Engineer, Head of Department and Deputy General Manager at the Ministry of Transport. He has been working as a Lecturer in Gazi University, Faculty of Technology, Department of Energy Systems Engineering since July 20, 2021. He has many articles published in national and international journals, papers presented at symposiums and two books.

Murat Kadir Yesilyurt

Murat Kadir Yeşilyurt is an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Yozgat Bozok University, Yozgat, Turkey. He received his BSc degree in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Çukurova University, Adana, Turkey in 2011. He received his MSc and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Kırıkkale University in 2013 and Bozok University in 2017, respectively. His main research interest includes internal combustion engines, alternative fuels, combustion, energy, and exergy analyses in thermal systems. He has published over 60 scientific papers in international and national journals/conferences. He has also done many scientific research projects.