Cost modelling of green hydrogen production using H2A tools at Sindh, Pakistan

As the world moves towards a low-carbon energy economy, Pakistan has promising potential to play a meaningful role in the emerging global green hydrogen market. The present work provides a techno-economic assessment of green hydrogen production at Sindh, Pakistan, based on the DOE H2A models and data on renewable sources (solar, wind and hybrid) and advanced water electrolysis systems (alkaline water electrolysis and polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolysis). A techno-economic comparison of the current analysis is carried out and it is found that the electricity prices, operating capacity factor, plant design capacity, and fixed operating cost have significant impact on the LCOGH. The calculated LCOGH value ranges between $2.95 to $8.01/kg·H 2 for the investigated renewable-energy and electrolyzer pathways. The sensitivity analysis highlights the impact of several key parameters on the LCOGH. The study shows that cheap electricity does not necessarily lead to cheap green hydrogen in an intermittent electricity market, and that the key to producing cheap hydrogen lies in maximizing the full-load hours and minimizing variable operational costs. The presented research tackles the critical knowledge gap and provides in-depth cost analysis of green hydrogen production to aid policymakers and stakeholders in developing a sustainable green energy framework for Pakistan.