Investigation of Renewable Electricity Generation from Solar-Hydrogen Hybrid System in Tripoli

Abstract

This paper presents a stand-alone solar hydrogen plant to cover the daily electricity demand of a residential unit in Tripoli- Libya. Solar power was obtained through International Global Radiation and photovoltaic (PV) panels, while hydrogen was acquired via water electrolysis. This renewable solar-hydrogen community has demonstrated and clarified that it is possible to be fully reliant on renewable electricity daily. This paper also compares the financial feasibility of supplying the residential unit with electricity using hydrogen, diesel generators, gasoline generators and the grid. Actual economic data from Az-zawiya oil refining company and General Electricity Company of Libya is used. The establishment of an integrated solar-hydrogen power plant to provide daily electrical residential requirements in Tripoli is demonstrated. The data calculation of this development is undertaken using Photovoltaic Geographical Information System (PVGIS) software tool that provides a free and open web access to solar radiation and temperature data and to PV performance assessment tools for any location in Europe and Africa, as well as large part of Asia and America to model the radiance and the amount of sunlight (PVGIS) and excel for modeling the hydrogen demand and production. Capacity and the efficiency of the solar-hydrogen plant to provide a community of electricity for a year without any shortages or deficiency is investigated.