Electric Load Influence on Performances of a Composite Plant for Hydrogen Production from RES and its Conversion in Electricity

The analysis here presented investigates the influence of electrical load on the operational performances of a plant for hydrogen production from solar energy and its conversion in electricity via a fuel cell. The plant is an actual one, currently under construction, in Reggio Calabria (Italy), at the site of the Mediterranean university campus; it is composed of a Renewable Energy Source (RES) section (photovoltaic panels), a hydrogen production section, and a fuel cell power section feeding the electrical energy demand of the load. Two different load configurations have been analysed and simulations have been carried out through HomerTM simulation code. Results allow interesting conclusions regarding the plant operation to be drawn. The study could have a remarkable role in supporting further research activities aimed at the assessment of the optimal configuration of this type of pioneering plants, designed for feeding electrical loads, possibly, in a self-sufficient way.