Developing the GEO-Techno-Economic Analysis of Hydrogen Ecosystems

This paper introduces the geo-techno-economic analysis for hydrogen systems, a spatially resolved non-linear optimisation of the design and operation of regional hydrogen systems. Relevant geodata like potential areas for renewable energies, the locations of hydrogen applications or existing grid infrastructure is aggregated in subregions created by spatial clustering. The geodata is integrated in the spatially resolved model together with algorithms controlling the distribution of electricity and hydrogen. The non-linear and dynamic optimisation is performed via a genetic algorithm and tested in this paper on the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe in northwest Germany. Different scenarios with varying technological and regulative constrains illustrate their relevance for the future hydrogen ecosystems. Thereby the it can be analysed, where investment intensive infrastructure like pipelines and caverns can reduce overall systems costs and how a region like Ostwestfalen-Lippe can operate autarkic with competitive hydrogen costs.