Daily energy performance analysis of a hybrid system with hydrogen storage for the power supply of an irrigation pumping station

A hybrid energy system intended for the power supply of an irrigation pumping station is considered. The system combines a photovoltaic (PV) plant, a wind turbine, a hydrogen energy storage subsystem (electrolyzer, fuel cell and hydrogen tank) and a connection to a rural electric grid. A mathematical model is used to perform a daily energy analysis under a given daily operating schedule of the pumping station. Time profiles of the PV and wind power, the electrolyzer and fuel cell power, the load power, the DC bus voltage and the state of charge of the hydrogen storage are obtained. The redistribution of energy flows during the day and the grid load reduction during peak hours are demonstrated. A comparison with a baseline case without hydrogen storage is carried out in terms of daily grid electricity consumption and the share of the load supplied by renewable sources. It is shown that the hydrogen storage subsystem increases the share of renewables in the energy balance of the pumping station and reduces grid electricity consumption, which is promising for irrigation systems in remote rural areas.