Improving commercial-scale alkaline water electrolysis systems for fluctuating renewable energy: Unsteady-state thermodynamic analysis and optimization

Ziqiang Zhong, Yetian Ding, Youxiao Chen, Peng Liao and Qian Chen

Applied Energy, 2025, vol. 395, issue C, No S0306261925009134

Abstract: Storing renewable electricity as hydrogen through water electrolysis is a pivotal strategy for achieving global energy transitions and net-zero emissions. However, the intermittency and fluctuation of renewable energy pose challenges on the operation of the water electrolysis systems, underscoring the need for in-depth analysis and optimization of their dynamic performance. This study evaluates the unsteady-state thermodynamic performance of a commercial-scale alkaline water electrolysis (ALK) system for integration with renewable energy sources. A mechanism-based model rooted in electrochemical principles and the laws of heat and mass transfer is firstly developed, which predicts the voltage and temperature within maximum discrepancies of 3 % and 5 %, respectively. The model is then employed to evaluate the dynamic performance of ALK under different system configurations, heat dissipation rates, startup frequencies and operation durations. Results reveal that integrating a heat storage tank and minimizing heat dissipation can reduce ALK's cold start-up time by 25 %, favoring the integration with renewable energy. Additionally, sustaining a high stack temperature of 365 K boosts the overall energy efficiency by 2.4 %, which can be achieved by using the model predictive control (MPC) method. These findings highlight the importance of thermal management and control optimization in improving the performance of large-scale ALK systems when driven by renewable energy sources.

Keywords: Renewable hydrogen production; Alkaline water electrolysis (ALK); Unsteady-state modeling; Thermodynamic analysis; Thermal management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126183

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