Economic evaluation of hybrid off-shore wind power and hydrogen storage system

•The paper evaluates the H2 power-to-X concept in France in 2030.•In power-to-X projects, hydrogen substitutes for electricity, gas and gasoline.•Providing H2 mix-usage increases the cost in too many infrastructure components.•Resizing the design results in providing only two services, out of which power-to-gas.•H2 production costs of selected projects range between 4 and 13 €/kg in 2030.

This research evaluates the economics of a hybrid power plant consisting of an off-shore wind power farm and a hydrogen production-storage system in the French region Pays de la Loire. It evaluates the concept of H2 mix-usage power-to-X, where X stands for the energy product that hydrogen can substitute such as gas, petrol and electricity. Results show that a complex H2 mix-usage design would increase investment cost in too many infrastructure components and would significantly decrease the profits. Resizing the project would result in providing two energy products only, such as power-to-power and power-to-gas or alternatively power-to-mobility and power-to-gas services. Hydrogen production costs of selected projects would range between 4 and 13 €/kg of H2 as a function of the application type, of oil and gas prices and of expectations of a further reduction in the electrolyser and fuel cell investment costs.

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