XOptimal: A software tool-service for cost-optimal design & control of sector-coupled energy systems

To meet the United Nations and Paris Agreement targets of limiting global temperature rise to below 1.5 °C, transitioning to a net zero global economy is imperative. In this context, renewable electricity and hydrogen play vital roles and are expected to account for nearly three quarters of the world’s final energy consumption by 2050. At the same time, rapidly growing electricity demand from energy intensive consumers such as data centers increases the need for reliable renewable power supply solutions.

Green hydrogen, also known as renewable hydrogen, is produced through water electrolysis using renewable electricity sources such as solar photovoltaic and wind power. It is a crucial component of the energy transition, offering an effective pathway for decarbonizing sectors that are difficult or infeasible to electrify directly. In addition, green hydrogen provides flexibility to renewable electricity generation systems by enabling energy storage, sector coupling, and balancing of variable power production.

The dynamic operation of electrolyzer plants is constrained by multiple factors, including temperature, pressure, impurities, stray currents, stack design, start up and shutdown procedures, and electrolyzer technology. These challenges are further compounded by the intermittency of renewable electricity generation, variable hydrogen demand, fluctuating electricity prices, and reliability requirements associated with continuous loads such as data centers. Together, these factors make the control, sizing, and integration of plant components a complex task.