INTEGRATED SOLAR–HYDROGEN MICROGRID SYSTEMS FOR INDUSTRIAL DECARBONIZATION: TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC AS-SESSMENT

Abstract The accelerating transition toward climate-neutral industrial production has intensified interest in integrated renewable energy systems capable of ensuring both decarbonization and energy security. Among the most promising solutions is the combination of photovoltaic generation with hydrogen production and storage within localized microgrid architectures. Such systems enable industrial facilities to reduce dependency on fossil-based grid electricity while maintaining operational reliability through flexible energy balancing. This study presents a comprehensive technical and economic assessment of integrated solar–hydrogen microgrid systems designed for medium- and large-scale industrial facilities. The proposed architecture combines rooftop and ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays, proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers, hydrogen storage tanks, fuel cells, and intelligent energy management systems operating within a localized microgrid framework. The analysis evaluates system performance under variable solar irradiance, fluctuating industrial demand profiles, and grid interaction scenarios. Key performance indicators include renewable energy penetration rate, hydrogen round-trip efficiency, load balancing stability, and levelized cost of energy. Simulation results demonstrate that properly sized solar–hydrogen microgrids can achieve up to 68% on-site renewable coverage for energy-intensive industrial sites while reducing annual carbon emissions by more than 55%. The study contributes to applied energy engineering by presenting an integrated system-level framework for renewable-based industrial decarbonization that aligns technical feasibility with economic sustainability.