Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power and Photovoltaics to Hydrogen Solar Thermal Fuel: Technoeconomic Analysis

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Producing hydrogen electrolytically is a key alternative to steam methane reforming (current state-of-the-art). Low-temperature electrolysis (LTE) uses electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen and can be run on grid or photovoltaic (PV) electricity. High-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) uses both heat and electricity to split water. HTSE is more efficient than LTE (per given energy input) and potentially has a lower capital cost. However, it requires a stable high temperature heat input. Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) with molten salt towers could provide the heat and electricity for HTSE. This project will compare the economic competitiveness of a CSP-HTSE and CSP-PV-HTSE to other hydrogen production options using the System Advisor Model (SAM). The project will develop and use LTE and HTSE modules in the SAM environment to analyze four hydrogen production systems across three locations. Thus, this work will create an LTE/HTSE modeling tool in an industry-standard solar simulation platform, and perform analysis of multiple use scenarios.