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Published VersionCC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Optimizing hybrid energy systems for remote Australian communities: The role of tilt angle in cost-effective green hydrogen production
Applied Energy, Vol.391, pp.1-29
2025
Abstract
This study investigates hybrid energy systems (HESs) integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels, batteries, fuel cells (FCs), electrolyzers (ELs), and hydrogen tanks (HTs) to address the energy needs of remote Australian communities. Two configurations are analyzed: Type-A (PV/Batt/FC/EL/HT) and Type-B (PV/FC/EL/HT), focusing on cost-efficiency, energy reliability, and hydrogen production. Several optimization techniques, including the cuckoo search algorithm, non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), and sequential quadratic programming algorithm (SQPA), flower pollination algorithm, constrained PSO, and harmony search algorithm, are employed to determine optimal system configurations. Type-A emerges as the most cost-effective configuration when optimized with NSGA-II, achieving a net present cost (NPC) of $226,500, a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of $0.193/kWh, and a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of $4.88/kg. Battery integration in Type-A enhances both cost-efficiency and energy reliability. For hydrogen-focused applications, SQPA yields the highest hydrogen production at 4737 kg/year, supported by higher EL (14 kW) and FC (18.63 kW) capacities. System efficiency is found to be highly sensitive to PV tilt angle, with 30∘ identified as optimal. Increasing the tilt to 70∘ can raise system costs by up to 75 %. Sensitivity analyses reveal that improving component efficiencies dramatically impacts costs. For example, increasing fuel cell efficiency from 40 % to 60 % reduces NPC, LCOE, and LCOH by $40,000, $0.04/kWh, and $0.1/kg, respectively, especially in Type-A systems. Collectively, adjustments to PV tilt angles and component efficiencies can reduce overall costs by up to 40 %. These insights offer a strategic foundation for designing HESs that balance electricity and hydrogen generation, tailored for sustainable operation in off-grid and remote settings.
Details
- Title
- Optimizing hybrid energy systems for remote Australian communities: The role of tilt angle in cost-effective green hydrogen production
- Authors
- Tushar Kanti Roy (Corresponding Author) - Macquarie UniversitySajeeb Saha - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringAmanullah Maung Than Oo - Macquarie University
- Publication details
- Applied Energy, Vol.391, pp.1-29
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.125921
- ISSN
- 1872-9118; 0306-2619
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
- Data Availability
- Data will be made available on request.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991127098402621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Energy & Fuels
- Engineering, Chemical
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