The Analysis of a Simulink Model of an Electrolyzer System in a Grid-Connected PV system

Abstract

The classical prime energy sources of electrical energy are planned to be replaced by renewable clean energy sources. To meet this purpose, new merging of electrical power systems with hydrogen gas network is planned to store the storing electrical energy. Hydrogen has a great potential as a promising clean energy carrier, a storage medium and is considered a suitable alternative future fuel. Only 4% of the industrial global hydrogen production is produced by water electrolysis. This motivates the pace of the scientific research in the direction of improving the current technologies of water electrolysis technologies, especially the proton exchange membrane PEM electrolysis process. PEM electrolysis copes with the fluctuating nature of the renewable energy sources like photovoltaics PV as it shows less performance degradation. This study investigates the integration of PV grid-connected system with an electrolyzer system. A Simulink model to present the mentioned electrolyzer, subjected to sudden current variations, when it is supplied by a PV while connecting to the main grid. A Simulink model is designed by using MATLAB/Simulink to analyze the plotted results of hydrogen production.