Part load performance of PEM fuel cell and electrolyser stacks in hybrid energy system for offshore application

Abstract

Global warming and associated climate change are ongoing processes worldwide, behind which anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions play the main role. Renewable energy sources integrated in hybrid energy systems (HES) are fundamental solutions to meet energy demands in a sustainable manner. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers and fuel cell stacks can be used as integral components of HES in several applications, for instance supplying energy offshore. Due to the integration with irregular renewable energy sources and the variability of energy demands, those stacks will be frequently operated at part-load conditions. The novelty of this work lies in the incorporation of part-load performance in the models of high-capacity fuel cell and electrolysers stacks. A zero-dimensional approach for steady-state behavior was applied to calculate the polarisation and performance curves of the system. The determined curves were implemented in an already developed online tool for analyzing HES. The computational results from the tool show a great ability of the PEM systems for decreasing the carbon intensity of an offshore facility and increase the wind energy integration within the HES.