Optimizing hybrid energy systems for remote Australian communities: The role of tilt angle in cost-effective green hydrogen production

Abstract

This study investigates hybrid energy systems (HESs) integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels, batteries, fuel cells (FCs), electrolyzers (ELs), and hydrogen tanks (HTs) to address the energy needs of remote Australian communities. Two configurations are analyzed: Type-A (PV/Batt/FC/EL/HT) and Type-B (PV/FC/EL/HT), focusing on cost-efficiency, energy reliability, and hydrogen production. Several optimization techniques, including the cuckoo search algorithm, non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II), and sequential quadratic programming algorithm (SQPA), flower pollination algorithm, constrained PSO, and harmony search algorithm, are employed to determine optimal system configurations. Type-A emerges as the most cost-effective configuration when optimized with NSGA-II, achieving a net present cost (NPC) of $226,500, a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of $0.193/kWh, and a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) of $4.88/kg. Battery integration in Type-A enhances both cost-efficiency and energy reliability. For hydrogen-focused applications, SQPA yields the highest hydrogen production at 4737 kg/year, supported by higher EL (14 kW) and FC (18.63 kW) capacities. System efficiency is found to be highly sensitive to PV tilt angle, with ${30}^{\circ }$ identified as optimal. Increasing the tilt to ${70}^{\circ }$ can raise system costs by up to 75 %. Sensitivity analyses reveal that improving component efficiencies dramatically impacts costs. For example, increasing fuel cell efficiency from 40 % to 60 % reduces NPC, LCOE, and LCOH by $40,000, $0.04/kWh, and $0.1/kg, respectively, especially in Type-A systems. Collectively, adjustments to PV tilt angles and component efficiencies can reduce overall costs by up to 40 %. These insights offer a strategic foundation for designing HESs that balance electricity and hydrogen generation, tailored for sustainable operation in off-grid and remote settings.