Open Access

Carlos Alejandro Rueda Cruz

• Green hydrogen production using electrolysis powered by renewable energies has a high relevance in decarbonization and the deceleration of climate change. Having economically competitive hydrogen production costs presents major challenge in times of an increasing demand. In response, this master thesis develops a computational tool that integrates country-specific renewable electricity generationGreen hydrogen production using electrolysis powered by renewable energies has a high relevance in decarbonization and the deceleration of climate change. Having economically competitive hydrogen production costs presents major challenge in times of an increasing demand. In response, this master thesis develops a computational tool that integrates country-specific renewable electricity generation potentials, specifically from photovoltaic and onshore wind power plants to derive an optimized Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) expression through non-linear optimization. Different capacity ratios between the electrolyser and the renewable electricity source are analyzed to calculate the usable electricity in terms of these capacity ratios, which are different and specific for each tile, highlighting the importance of having a tool with high geographical resolution. The input electricity for the electrolyser is combined when we have the availability of both photovoltaic and wind generation in the same area. Therefore, two main scenarios are evaluated: one with either PV or wind as a renewable electricity source; the other using the renewable electricity from both renewable sources. The algorithm of the tool allows it to be applied globally, supporting the scenario-based evaluations to assess the potential of new green hydrogen projects across regions. According to results from three countries—Colombia, Germany, and New Zealand— reducing electrolyser capacity proves especially beneficial in areas with lower full load hours. The calculations from this thesis indicate that projected for 2050, the optimized LCOH for Colombia has range from 39.34€ to 64.4€ per MWh, given stable solar irradiance, while the optimal LCOH for Germany has a range around 41.81€ to 79.73€ per MWh, influenced by fewer Full Load Hours (FLH) for PV a higher FLH for wind. In New Zealand the optimized LCOH sits between 42.46€ to 62.75€ per MWh due to its combination of wind and PV resources. These findings highlight the importance of site-specific considerations in optimizing green hydrogen production costs.…