Design, Planning and Management of a Hydrogen-Based Microgrid

Efficient energy generation and consumption is a key factor to achieve ambitious goals related to air pollution and climate change. Modern electricity networks can include different kind of sources, such as renewable energy sources (RES). Then, hybrid systems are obtained by combining several sources and storage types in the new concept called microgrid (MG). In order to draw the best performance from these hybrid systems, a proper design and operation is essential. The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed report to properly undertake the building and management of a hydrogen MG in a simple and reliable way to continue struggling for more comprehension on the MG operation modes and prevent the reported failures in the literature. The experimental platform developed will provide the valuable knowledge and solid guidelines for future test centers and demonstration plants. The MG, located in Seville, Spain, incorporates an electrolyzer, metal hydride storage, fuel cell, and a battery bank as main components. The developed MG laboratory has been successfully tested. The results indicate reliable operation incorporating the hydrogen and batteries as energy storage.