Investigations of an off-grid system based on a hybrid photovoltaic and wind turbine system with integrated hydrogen production located in Poland

This paper presents the results of a forecast of electrical energy production as well as potential hydrogen production on a small scale, alongside the experimental investigation of a renewable energy source (RES) off-grid system integrated with a hydrogen power plant. The experimental installation was conducted at the AGH University campus in Krakow, Poland. The experimental investigations demonstrate the usefulness of a RES off-grid system integrated with a small hydrogen plant. The hydrogen production process – from the start of electrolysis to filling six composite bundle cylinders – yielded approximately 1,350 Ndm3 H2. The application of a pneumatic booster allowed compression of the gaseous hydrogen from 35 bar to 300 bar. The integrated proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack with DC/AC inverter requires 0.8 m3 H2 to produce 1 kWh of AC electrical energy.