On Optimal Hydrogen Pathway Selection Using the SECA Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Method

The increasing global population has resulted in the scramble for more energy. Hydrogen offers a new revolution to energy systems worldwide. Considering its numerous uses, research interest has grown to seek sustainable production methods. However, hydrogen production must satisfy three factors, i.e., energy security, energy equity, and environmental sustainability, referred to as the energy trilemma. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the sustainability of hydrogen production pathways through the use of a Multi-Criteria Decision- Making model. In particular, a modified Simultaneous Evaluation of Criteria and Alternatives (SECA) model was employed for the prioritization of 19 options for hydrogen production. This model simultaneously determines the overall performance scores of the 19 options and the objective weights for the energy trilemma in a South African context. The results obtained from this study showed that environmental sustainability has a higher objective weight value of 0.37, followed by energy security with a value of 0.32 and energy equity with the least at 0.31. Of the 19 options selected, steam reforming of methane with carbon capture and storage was found to have the highest overall performance score, considering the trade-offs in the energy trilemma. This was followed by steam reforming of methane without carbon capture and storage and the autothermal reforming of methane with carbon capture and storage. The results obtained in this study will potentially pave the way for optimally producing hydrogen from different feedstocks while considering the energy trilemma and serve as a basis for further research in sustainable process engineering.