Integrating green hydrogen production with renewable energy-powered desalination: An analysis of CAPEX implications and operational strategies

The study examines how sustainable energy transitions can meet freshwater needs in green hydrogen production. It proposes four configurations that combine polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolysis with renewable energy-powered desalination methods, capable of both continuous and intermittent operations. This study evaluates the capital expenditure (CAPEX) implications of integrating solar or wind energy with seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) and multi-effect distillation (MED) desalination to produce green hydrogen. It examines the capacities of renewable energy sources, the effectiveness of energy storage solutions, and the performance of various desalination methods, particularly their combined impact on economic viability and overall project costs. An SWRO system intermittently powered by wind energy is identified as the most cost-effective, reducing CAPEX by 46%. The results emphasize the practical benefits of integrating green desalination with green hydrogen production technologies. • Introduces cost-efficient green H 2 production via renewable energy and desalination. • Analyzes CAPEX for solar/wind energy with SWRO and MED desalination methods. • Nearly 46% reduced CAPEX for intermittent operation than continuous mode. • Finds wind + SWRO in intermittent mode as most economical for H 2 production. • Highlights minimal CAPEX impact of desalination (<1%) on green H 2 plant costs.