MODELING AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYBRID ELECTRIC POWER GENERATION SYSTEMS USING HYDROGEN AND COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGES

Progress in the rational use of energy implies abandoning fossil fuels, and the transition to renewable energy sources (RES) is inevitable in the current scenario of global warming. Efficient utilization of RES in the energy sector is possible only with the parallel use of energy storage systems. Hydrogen as a promising energy carrier opens up vast opportunities for creating efficient and reliable energy storage systems capable of enhancing the stability and economic viability of alternative energy. This article focuses on modeling a hybrid hydrogen-based energy storage system. It describes the model blocks of an electrolyzer, a storage tank and a fuel cell (FC). An analysis of the FC operation under variable demand and excess power conditions is provided, along with the results of simulation modeling in MATLAB/Simulink. The proposed model enables effective management of the balance between energy generation and consumption amid RES instability and ensures reliable power supply during generation shortages by converting hydrogen back into electricity. The efficiency of using hydrogen-based and compressed air-based energy storage has been compared.