Synergistic Use of Offshore Wind, Wave, and Photovoltaics for Maritime Hydrogen Refueling: How the Synergy Impacts the Storage Requirements?

This paper investigates the combined use of offshore wind, wave energy, and solar photovoltaics for maritime hydrogen refueling stations, with a focus on their influence on storage requirements. Eastern Crete and the Galite Islands, two Mediterranean sites with significant wind, wave, and solar energy potential, were selected as case studies for the installation of such stations. The research utilizes a Storage-to-Production Ratio (SPR) index to measure the amount of storage required to ensure a stable, uninterrupted hydrogen supply throughout the year, relative to the total annual hydrogen production. The results demonstrate that integrating either wind or wave energy with solar power significantly reduces the SPR, thanks to the weak temporal correlation between solar and the other two sources. This reduction can reach up to 20%, which, for a station providing an annual hydrogen supply of 20,000 tons, translates to a 4,000-ton reduction in storage needs. Conversely, combining wind and wave energy in the Mediterranean does not achieve a similar SPR reduction due to their strong temporal correlation.