Hydrogen technology of energy storage making use of wind power potential

Abstract

This article describes the development of the versatile technology that can be used to provide continuous power for a desalination plant using wind energy. There were studied the main principles to realize the electrochemical method of high pressure hydrogen and oxygen generation with the use of variable-valency metals as electrodes. We propose the high reliable and operational safety system to store chemical energy as high pressure hydrogen for later use in the fuel cells. Such hydrogen generation and storage system allows the chemical reaction rate to be controlled by controlling the current intensity and, hence, the consumed power can be controlled. This is especially important when the primary energy source for the electrolysis installation is wind power, which is not constant and is affected by climatic factors. The article provides the recommendations as to application of this versatile technology to generate hydrogen (oxygen) using the changeable wind or sun renewable energy as the primary energy sources. Scientific and technical principles for creation of the energy electrochemical hydrogen accumulators are formed and the ways are proposed to optimize their operation under variable modes, which represent the real conditions of exploitation of energy-technological complexes created on the base of the wind power stations. Cost indexes over of creation and exploitation of the hydrogen generation system are presented depending on the pressure level in an electrolyzer.