Integration of Microgrids in Chemical Industries with Hydrogen as a Byproduct: Styrene Production Case Study

The chemical industry serves as a global economic backbone and it is an intensive consumer of conventional energy. Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases, it is necessary to analyze energy supply solutions based on renewable energy sources in this industrial sector. Unlike other sectors, such as residential or service industries, which have been thoroughly analyzed by the scientific community, the use of renewable energies in the chemical industry remains comparatively less examined by the scientific community. This article studies the use of an energy supply system based on photovoltaic technology or a PEM fuel cell for a styrene production industry, analyzing the integration of energy storage systems such as batteries, as well as different uses for the surplus hydrogen produced by the facility. The most interesting conclusions of the article are: (1) the renewable microgrid considered is viable both technically and economically with a discounted payback period between 5.4 and 6.5 years, using batteries as an energy storage system; and (2) the use of hydrogen as energy storage system for a styrene industry is not yet a viable option from an economic point of view.