Electrified Hydrogen Systems: An Overview

Hydrogen has emerged as a pivotal resource in reshaping the global energy landscape and the transition toward a sustainable and carbonneutral future, especially for hard-toabate sectors. Two sides of this resource are explored. The first side is related to hydrogen production, while the second side is related to hydrogen utilization. Several methods can be employed in order to produce hydrogen, where water electrolysis is regarded as the most effective method in terms of minimal carbon dioxide (CO<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub>) emissions, particularly when powered by renewable energy sources. A critical aspect of this rapidly evolving technology is the utilized power supply with the electrolyzer, which is tasked with handling unregulated dc voltage efficiently at megawatt-scale power levels. On the flip side, hydrogen can be used directly as a feedstock in some applications, used with internal combustion engines (ICEs) to convert the stored chemical energy into mechanical output, or with fuel cells to convert the chemical energy into electrical energy, where power electronics are mandatory with the latter to control the flow of this energy and benefit from reduced noise and vibrations. Collectively, these electrified hydrogen systems represent remarkable possibilities and opportunities and present a unique set of challenges in terms of the risks associated with hydrogen along with the optimization of the surrounding power electronics technology, which is a key enabler for enhanced system performance and reduced capital cost and, potentially, a lower total cost of ownership. To accelerate this transition and promote the electrification of hydrogen systems, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the entire value chain of electrified hydrogen systems, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in hydrogen production, storage, and utilization and the provision for improvements in existing electric power trains.