Techno-Economic Assessment of Solar-Based Cu-Cl Thermochemical Hydrogen Production Plant: A Case Study

As the global energy sector undergoes a transition towards decarbonization, Power-to-X technologies play a pivotal role in converting renewable electricity into usable fuels and chemicals. This study examines the technical and economic feasibility of a solar-powered hydrogen production system that is founded on the copper-chlorine (<tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\text{Cu}-\text{Cl}$</tex>) thermochemical cycle. A novel configuration is proposed, utilizing carbon dioxide as a heat transfer fluid (HTF) and integrating a heat recovery network to enhance efficiency. In contrast to numerous prior studies that depend on static models, this research employs dynamic, hourly simulations over an entire year, grounded in actual solar data, to evaluate performance under realistic conditions. The results indicate that this system is capable of achieving lower hydrogen production costs in comparison to traditional electrolysis, primarily due to a reduction in electricity consumption. Furthermore, any surplus electricity generated may be sold to the grid, thereby enhancing economic returns. Through multiobjective optimization, the optimal direct normal irradiance (DNI) for the solar input is identified as <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$881 \mathrm{W} / \mathrm{m}^{2}$</tex>, resulting in a hydrogen cost of about $5.5 per kilogram.