Transition to Renewable Energy Sources Critical for Mitigating Environmental Impacts

Strategic Insights -

Researchers from the University of Sharjah have assessed the feasibility of a hybrid renewable energy system for green hydrogen production in Oman, leveraging the region's abundant solar and wind resources. The study used HOMER Pro software to simulate an off-grid system integrating photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, battery storage, and fuel cells. The results demonstrated the system's ability to efficiently harness renewable resources, stabilize energy supply through battery storage, and produce green hydrogen at competitive costs.

Key Takeaways:

  • The transition to renewable energy sources is critical for mitigating the environmental impacts of fossil fuels, and green hydrogen has emerged as a promising solution for sustainable energy storage and utilization.
  • The study evaluated the feasibility of a hybrid renewable energy system for green hydrogen production in Oman, leveraging the region's abundant solar and wind resources.
  • The optimal system configuration included 84 kW of solar panels, three 3kW wind turbines, a 16kW fuel cell, and a 20kW electrolyzer, achieving a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of 0.1449 $/kWh and a Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) of 5.67 $/kg.
  • Solar energy contributed 77.8 % of the total energy production, while wind energy and fuel cells accounted for 14.6 % and 7.61 %, respectively.
  • The system produced 1544 kg of hydrogen annually, with 364 kg available for storage or commercial use.
  • The results demonstrate the system's ability to efficiently harness renewable resources, stabilize energy supply through battery storage, and produce green hydrogen at competitive costs.
  • The study highlights the potential of hybrid renewable energy systems in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to lead the global transition to green hydrogen.
  • Policymakers and stakeholders in sustainable energy development can drawn valuable insights from this study.

Statistics:

  • 84 kW of solar panels were used in the optimal system configuration.
  • Three 3kW wind turbines were included in the optimal system configuration.
  • The system achieved a Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) of 0.1449 $/kWh.
  • The system achieved a Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) of 5.67 $/kg.
  • 77.8 % of the total energy production was contributed by solar energy.
  • 14.6 % of the total energy production was contributed by wind energy.
  • 7.61 % of the total energy production was contributed by fuel cells.
  • 1544 kg of hydrogen was produced annually by the system.
  • 364 kg of hydrogen was available for storage or commercial use annually.

Sources:

  • Techno-economic feasibility of green hydrogen production using hybrid solar-wind energy systems in Oman. International Journal of Thermofluids, 2025,28():101302.
  • University of Sharjah, Department of Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Sharjah, PO Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
  • Ahmed Al Makky, Hasan A. Kanjo, Mena Maurice Farag, Abdul-Kadir Hamid, Mousa Hussein, Tareq Salameh.
  • VerticalNews.