# Evaluation of Hydrogen Generation with Hybrid Renewable Energy Sources
## 1 Introduction
### Literature Survey
#### 1.2.4 Electrolysis
In the alkaline electrolyzer, nickel material is used as the electrode; the purity of the hydrogen produced is about 99%. However, the alkaline mist in the generated gas must be removed for desorption to be commonly used; the maximum operating current density of an alkaline electrolyzer is less than 400 mA/cm\({}^{2}\), and the power consumption for H\({}_{2}\) production is about 4.5 to 5.5 kWh/Nm\({}^{3}\) with an efficiency of about 60%. This method can work directly with renewable energy sources due to its low energy consumption to produce hydrogen. Hydrogen does not compete with direct electrification but can help increase renewable energy penetration by providing time-shifting and energy storage capabilities. Although the main source of renewable energy in Canada is hydropower, which has inherent energy storage capabilities, its wind energy capacity has grown steadily over the past decade. Wind power is one of the fastest-growing sources of electricity in the world and Canada, currently accounting for 4% of national electricity generation, with Ontario and Quebec leading the way in terms of capacity. For example, Prince Edward Island, with 98% of its local electricity generation coming from wind power, is currently dependent on imported power from New Brunswick's dispatched grid. Hydrogen can be a dispatchable energy solution to increase energy independence. It can also be used directly for heating in winter as a hybrid system to offset the demand for seasonal peak electric heating. The versatility of hydrogen as an energy carrier provides customizable options for every region of Canada [26]. While solar technologies have achieved a significant level of technological maturity, several challenges persist, including high initial investment costs and the intermittent nature of energy production. In contrast, wind power is recognized as one of the most abundant and sustainable renewable resources, frequently used for domestic applications due to its cost-effectiveness in energy production. Combining solar and wind sources to generate cost-effective, clean, and reliable energy output is a prudent approach. The subsequent section includes various works exploring the integration of solar technologies and wind power systems for multi-generation purposes, encompassing hydrogen production, electricity generation, and heating and cooling, with a focus on techno-economic and environmental considerations. [PERSON] et al. introduced and analyzed an innovative multi-generation system that combines a wind turbine and a high-temperature solar collector with a CuCl\({}_{2}\) thermochemical hydrogen cycle, achieving a satisfactory performance efficiency of 50% [27]. In 2019, [PERSON] et al. [28] evaluated wind and solar data from selected meteorological stations in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran, for hydrogen production as a clean fuel. A detailed techno-economic analysis was conducted for utilizing wind and solar energies of 500 W/m\({}^{2}\) each. Evaluating hydrogen production from several small wind turbines showed that up to 39.7 tons of hydrogen could be produced annually. It was found that under optimal conditions, the cost of generating 1 kWh of electrical energy with wind turbines was USD 0.08 cheaper than the market energy unit price when both wind and solar energies were used. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [29] examined the economic aspects of a hybrid solar-wind system combined with electrolyzers. Their results indicated that selling surplus power to the local electricity grid could reduce hydrogen production costs by approximately 0.03 USD/m\({}^{3}\). In 2019 [PERSON] et al. [28] evaluated wind and solar data from selected meteorological stations in Sistan and Baluchistan province, Iran, for hydrogen production as a clean fuel. A detailed techno-economic analysis was conducted for utilizing wind and solar energies of both 500 W/m\({}^{2}\). Evaluating hydrogen production from several small wind turbines showed that up to 39.7 tons of hydrogen could be produced annually.