A wind-hydrogen energy storage system model for massive wind energy curtailment

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 1243 - 1252
• Main Authors: Zhang, Guotao, Wan, Xinhua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 16.01.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alkaline electrolyser; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Hydrogen; Power to gas; Techno-economics analysis; Wind curtailment; Techno-economics analysis; Power to gas; Wind curtailment; Alkaline electrolyser; Economic analysis; Hydrogen storage; Wind energy; Hydrogen; Energy carrier; Energy storage
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.11.003

With wind energy penetration rate increasing, wind energy curtailment turns severe in some wind farms nowadays and new wind farm construction trends to aggregate this situation. Therefore the need for massive energy storage technology such as “Power to gas” is growing. In this study, a model of integrating curtailed wind energy with hydrogen energy storage is established based on real time data in term of 10 min avg. throughout a whole year in a wind farm. Two wind/hydrogen production scenarios via water electrolysis are given and the influence exerted on payback period by electrolyser power and hydrogen price is talked in tandem as well as the model validity is specified in the conclusion section. Our results further stress the importance of hydrogen energy storage technology on addressing wind energy curtailment and disclose some regularities from an economical perspective. •A model of integrating wind curtailment with H2 energy storage was established.•We compared electrolyser operation with and without using grid electricity.•For the wind farm in this case, a balance hydrogen price of 0.29 $/Nm3 was found.•Over 0.29 $/Nm3, the profitability of continuous electrolyser operation was better.