Thermoeconomic cost evaluation of hydrogen production driven by binary geothermal power plant

• A binary geothermal power plant powers a water electrolysis process.
• A geothermal resource at 160 °C and 100 kg/s is considered.
• Hydrogen gas can be produced at a rate of 0.0253 kg/s.
• Thermoeconomic cost analysis is performed.
• Exergetic cost of hydrogen is 19.7 $/GJ (or 2.366 $/kg H2).

Thermodynamic analysis and exergy based cost formation of hydrogen production by a water electrolysis process powered by a binary geothermal power plant is performed. The exergetic cost formation process is developed applying the specific exergy cost method (SPECO). For a geothermal resource temperature of 160 °C and a geothermal flow rate of 100 kg/s, hydrogen gas can be produced at a rate of 0.0253 kg/s in the electrolyzer. This corresponds to 0.253 g of hydrogen production per kilogram of geothermal water. Thermoeconomic cost analysis reveals that the unit exergetic costs of electricity and hydrogen produced in the system are 6.495 $/GJ (or 0.0234 $/kWh) and 19.7 $/GJ (or 2.366 $/kg H2), respectively.