Feasibility Study of Hydrogen Production by Water Electrolysis using Nuclear Off-peak Power

Abstract

Possibility of hydrogen production by water electrolysis using nuclear off—peak power was studied. Cost of nuclear off-peak power was estimated using various cases of plant operating pattern for supplying off-peak power and power plant working ratio. The relationship between cost of electricity and cost of hydrogen produced by water electrolysis process was evaluated on the basis of plant data of different types of water electrolysis hydrogen production, alkaline solution electrolyser and solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The effect of plant availability of electrolyser on the hydrogen production cost was also investigated. By connecting those evaluations, a case study was conducted for the cost of hydrogen production by water electrolysis using nuclear off-peak power. The cheapest case was almost 20 yen/Nm³-H₂. It was found that hydrogen production using nuclear off-peak power has a great possibility.