Green hydrogen assessment of generation and storage potential from solar and wind energy shedding in Honduras

¹ Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana, UNITEC, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
² Department of Energy, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy

Abstract

Honduras relies on fossil fuels and reservoir hydroelectric power plants to maintain the stability of the national electrical network. Due to the intermittency of renewable resources, solar and wind power plants cannot provide stability to the national electrical network. Renewable plants in the country that use variable renewable resources such as wind and solar have energy shedding controlled by the National Dispatch Center of Honduras to maintain a safe electrical system. Energy shedding can be defined as non-generated energy as a result of power limitations in renewable plants. This energy shedding can be used for green hydrogen production, which can displace fossil fuel technologies, bring stability to the national electrical network, and contribute to the decarbonization process of the country. In this research, sixteen green hydrogen Power-to-Power plants were sized using cumulative energy generation curves built with energy shedding data held by the National Dispatch Center of Honduras. A cost-benefit analysis was used as a decision criterion for the sizing of the hydrogen plants. The annual green hydrogen and energy production by electrolyzers and fuel cells, and the potential for carbon dioxide emission mitigation was estimated. The energy return on investment of each plant was calculated to analyze the harnessed energy in the hydrogen system.Page layout