Hydrogen integration in power grids, infrastructure demands and techno-economic assessment: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Nations are making substantial changes to the worldwide energy situation to address climate change, decrease the release of greenhouse gases, and shift towards sustainable energy systems. Hydrogen is gaining prominence as a prominent candidate among alternative energy sources owing to its versatility and ecological advantages. Incorporating this technology into the existing electricity grid presents opportunities and obstacles, notably in infrastructure and economic viability. Hydrogen may be generated from several sources, such as natural gas, biomass, and water, using methods like steam methane reforming (SMR) and electrolysis. This paper investigates the economic analysis of integrating steam methane reforming (SMR) technology with electrolysis and carbon capture. The study utilizes Elsevier Scopus and Web of Science data to uncover substantial research activity, revealing that North America and Europe, emerge as the leading contributors with 1263 and 756 citations in the research domain, respectively, while highlighting the lack of African contributions to the cited documents. The results underscore the need to incorporate cost-efficient CO₂ collection into SMR operations to generate “blue hydrogen” and the possibility of obtaining green hydrogen from renewable sources. Technological progress and favorable legislation are essential for lowering production expenses and improving the feasibility of hydrogen as a sustainable energy transporter. This study highlights the need for worldwide cooperation and financial support in hydrogen technologies to accomplish a future with reduced carbon emissions. This study offers an extensive economic assessment of integrating SMR with electrolysis and CO₂ capture. It emphasizes technological developments, cost considerations, and the possibility of international cooperation to enhance hydrogen production and aid in mitigating climate change.