On the other hand, the energy generation process must be consistent. After all, about 55 kilowatt hours of system power are required to produce one kilogram of hydrogen. It is advantageous in this case if renewable energy is available from different sources. “Optimally, the oversupplies overlap, that is, there are different, inexpensive power sources, which are not available for the electricity market, but can be fed into the electrolysis system,“ explains Perplies. For profitable operation, utilizing at least 50 percent of the electrolyzer is crucial to achieve an optimal mixture of utilization and electricity costs. Therefore, battery storage systems are also included in the planning as an additional element for smoothing an energy profile. The system can also use waste heat. “Therefore, we don’t limit ourselves but also propose using battery storage systems or heat applications in the planning phase to absorb peaks,“ he says.
Once these questions have been resolved, Perplies and his team deal with the design of the system itself. Operator tasks, installation areas, safety and logistics requirements, and approval procedures must be clarified and completed before the water can be continuously divided into its constituent parts. “If everything external is satisfied, we simply need to set up our modular systems and put them into operation via plug-and-play,” he says, adding, “our aspiration is for our systems to function autonomously.” This places high demands on the system, the automation technology used, and its suppliers.
