Alkaline Water Electrolysis Powered by Renewable Energy: A Review
Open Access
- 21 February 2020
- Vol. 8 (2), 248
- https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8020248
Abstract
Alkaline water electrolysis is a key technology for large-scale hydrogen production powered by renewable energy. As conventional electrolyzers are designed for operation at fixed process conditions, the implementation of fluctuating and highly intermittent renewable energy is challenging. This contribution shows the recent state of system descriptions for alkaline water electrolysis and renewable energies, such as solar and wind power. Each component of a hydrogen energy system needs to be optimized to increase the operation time and system efficiency. Only in this way can hydrogen produced by electrolysis processes be competitive with the conventional path based on fossil energy sources. Conventional alkaline water electrolyzers show a limited part-load range due to an increased gas impurity at low power availability. As explosive mixtures of hydrogen and oxygen must be prevented, a safety shutdown is performed when reaching specific gas contamination. Furthermore, the cell voltage should be optimized to maintain a high efficiency. While photovoltaic panels can be directly coupled to alkaline water electrolyzers, wind turbines require suitable converters with additional losses. By combining alkaline water electrolysis with hydrogen storage tanks and fuel cells, power grid stabilization can be performed. As a consequence, the conventional spinning reserve can be reduced, which additionally lowers the carbon dioxide emissions.Keywords
Funding Information
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (290019031; 391348959)
This publication has 91 references indexed in Scilit:
- Hydrogen generation by electrolysis and storage in salt caverns: Potentials, economics and systems aspects with regard to the German energy transitionInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2017
- Environmental impact assessment and comparison of some hydrogen production optionsInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015
- Hydrogen or batteries for grid storage? A net energy analysisEnergy & Environmental Science, 2015
- Review and evaluation of hydrogen production methods for better sustainabilityInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015
- The intensification technologies to water electrolysis for hydrogen production – A reviewRenewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2014
- Hydrogen from renewable electricity: An international review of power-to-gas pilot plants for stationary applicationsInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2013
- Hydrogen production by alkaline water electrolysisQuímica Nova, 2013
- Renewable Hydrogen Production: Performance of an Alkaline Water Electrolyzer Working under Emulated Wind ConditionsEnergy & Fuels, 2007
- Towards a Hydrogen EconomyThe Electricity Journal, 2005
- Estimation of storage costs for large hydrogen storage facilitiesInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 1982