Techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production from waste plastics and storage plant in the context of Japan

This study addresses Japan's pressing issue of plastic waste by proposing a conversion process to produce hydrogen from non-biodegradable plastics. Utilizing DWSIM software for plastic-to-hydrogen conversion and Aspen Plus for hydrogen compression, which can be stored in a Type IV cylinder, the analysis shows that a plant can generate 1,449,792 kg/year of hydrogen from various plastics, including PET, PVC, PE, PP, and PS. Operating at 600 °C and 1 bar, the facility processes 100 kg/h of plastic to yield 7.098 kg/h of hydrogen. The project's capital expenditure (CAPEX) is 143.5 million Japanese Yen, with an operational expenditure (OPEX) of 29.7 million JPY/year. The Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) varies, with estimates of 8.874–19.82 USD/kg based on construction timelines, and sensitivity analysis and uncertainty analysis are performed to estimate the effect of various parameters on LCOH. This process holds potential for advancing sustainable development in Japan and globally, addressing both waste management and clean energy production.