Investigation of appropriate technology for production and storage of

hydrogen based on renewable energy in Morocco.

Seddiq Sebbahi1*, Nouhaila Nabil2 , Amine Alaoui-Belghiti 1, Said Laasri1 , Samir Rachidi2 and Abdelouahed Hajjaji1
1 Laboratory of Engineering Sciences for Energy, National School of Applied Sciences of El Jadida, University Chouaib Doukkali, El Jadida, Morocco
2 Research Institute for Solar Energy and New Energies (IRESEN), Green Energy Park, Benguerir, Morocco Nov. 27-14, 2021
• Email: sebbahi.s@ucd.ac.ma Marrakesh, Morocco
Abstract: As part of post-Covid-19 recovery strategies, many countries are developing updated plans to accelerate their energy transition to achieve net-zero emissions. To overcome the challenges of intermittency of renewables and decarbonize hard-to-elect sectors, governments have started since

2019 to put green hydrogen at the core of their energy and green economy policies. Hydrogen is a versatile energy carrier. It offers ways to decarbonize a range of sectors - including long-haul transportation, chemicals, and iron and steel - where reducing emissions significantly has proven
Modeling
difficult.[1] Moreover, hydrogen is a means for renewable energy storage, alongside batteries, and is used for transportation, allowing for seasonal variations and linking production sites to more distant demand centers.[2] This study aims to provides new conceptual knowledge on the use of renewables for The electrochemical reaction takes place when a suitable direct electric

hydrogen production via an electrolyzer technology to be chosen following a benchmarking study of the existing technologies: Alkaline, Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM), or solid oxide electrolyzer cell. An overview of production and storage solutions appropriate to create a green hydrogen economy in current is applied to the electrodes:

Morocco. 𝑯𝟐 𝑶 𝒍 + 𝑬𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒚 → 𝑯𝟐 𝒈 + 𝑶𝟐 𝒈

The enthalpy and entropy variation during the reaction are linked to the
energy of Gibbs by the following relation :

Introduction Water Electrolysis general principle Three main Water Electrolysis technologies ∆𝐇 = ∆𝐆 + 𝐓∆𝐒
The reversible cell voltage Urev and the thermoneutral voltage Uth are
The global energy system has to undergo a profound transformation determined as :
Water electrolysis has various industrial applications. Over the past years, interest in water electrolysis technologies has Alkaline Water Electrolyzer
to achieve the targets in the Paris Agreement [1]. In this context, ∆𝑮 ∆𝐻
increased largely due to the renaissance of the nuclear hydrogen energy concept and also the prospect of the large-scale 𝑼𝒓𝒆𝒗 = − 𝑼𝑡ℎ = −
governments, companies, energy organizations and research 𝒛𝑭 𝒛𝑭
implementation of power plants based on renewable energy sources. [6] Electrolysis is an established and well-known
The current intensity Iely flowing through the electrolyser is a function of
institutions are exploring opportunities green hydrogen could offer to method, constituting the most effective technique for water splitting. The reaction, however, is very endothermic thus
the electric power generated by the wind turbine Pel (or the PV cells), the
achieve net-zero targets for energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) the required energy input is provided by electricity. A typical electrolysis unit or electrolyzer, illustrated in Fig. 2,
number of the electrolysis cells Ncell, the inverter efficiency ηin and the
emissions.[2] Currently, clean hydrogen is enjoying unprecedented consists of a cathode and an anode immersed in an electrolyte, and generally when electrical current is applied water
operating cell voltage Ucell as:
political and business momentum, with the number of policies and splits and hydrogen is produced at the cathode while oxygen is evolved on the anode side via the following reaction
projects around the world expanding rapidly. [3] [7]: Current (I) Electron (e-)
𝑃𝑒𝑙
𝐼𝑒𝑙𝑦 = 𝜂𝑖𝑛
𝑁𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑈𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙
The hydrogen production rate (kg.h-1) using the alkaline
H2O
Nowadays, green hydrogen is experiencing a tremendous water electrolyser can be calculated as :
H2 Reactions:
commercial and political impetus, as the number of policy and
Anode : 2 OH- → ½ O2 + H2O 𝑁𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝐼𝑒𝑙𝑦
Electrolyte
program initiatives around the world is rapidly increasing. North Cathode : 2 H2 + e- → H2 + H2O 𝑚ሶ = 80.69𝜂𝐹 𝜌𝐻2
Cathode
𝑧𝐹
Anode

Africa, due to its abundant renewable energy potential, and in where ρH2 is the hydrogen density at standard condition
particular due to geographic proximity, is a potential supplier of cost- (approximativelly 0.08228 kg.m-3) and ηF is the Faradaic efficiency. The
competitive renewable hydrogen to the EU [4] which released in energy consumption ratio (ESR) and the hydrogen production efficiency
2020 its green hydrogen stratergy. Proton Exchange Membrane / are computed respectively as:
O2
Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) 𝑚𝐻2 𝐿𝐻𝑉𝐻
𝐸𝑒𝑙 2
𝐸𝐶𝑅 = 𝜂𝑒𝑙𝑦 =
𝑚𝐻2 𝐸𝑒𝑙
Fig. 2. General principle of an Electrolyser.
This study aims to provide new knowledge on the use of renewable where Eel is the electrical energy (kWh) consumed by the electrolyser
energy sources to produce hydrogen via electrolysis technologies. and mH2 is the amount of hydrogen (kg) produced
The purpose is to perform a benchmark of the three common water
electrolysis technologies : Alkaline Water Electrolysis (AWE),
Comparison of main technologies [7] during the process. LHVH2 is the low heat value of hydrogen
(approximatively 40 kWh/kg). [8].
Proton Exchange Membrane (or Polymer Electrolyte Membran,
PEM), and Solid-Oxide Electrolysis (SOE).
Conclusion
The comparative studies of the three common electrolysis technologies
to produce hydrogen conducted in previous studies shows that
Alkaline Water Electrolysis is the most available method commercially
ready for utility and industrial scales. Yet for better efficiencies, PEM
electrolysis system is a promising solution although its higher capital
cost due to the use of noble materials. In order to achieve efficiencies
Solid oxide electrolysis (SOE) near to 100%, Solid-oxide electrolysis should be considered especially
that it allow harvesting the heat energy released by solar technologies

Alkaline Water Elecrtrolysis

such as Concentrating solar power (CSP) and Concentrated
- AWE - Photovoltaic Thermal systems.

Bibliography
1. IRENA, Hydrogen: A Renewable Energy Perspective, 2019.
Proton Exchange Membrane 2. European Commission, A Hydrogen Strategy for a Climate Neutral Europe, 2020.
- PEM - 3. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Hydrogen from Renewable Power –
Technology Outlook for the Energy Transition, 2018.
4. IRENA, Green Hydrogen Cost, 2020.
Solid Oxide Electrolysis– SOE 5. International Energy Agency (IEA), The Future of Hydrogen report, 2019.
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Fig. 1. Cells of the three main electrolysis technologies.
Materials Science for Energy Technologies, Volume 2, Issue 3, 2019,
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Fig. 3. Principle scheme and advantages/disadvantages of the three main water electrolysis methods. photovoltaic thermal systems. A case study in Morocco, International Journal of Hydrogen
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