Configuration optimization of electrolytic hydrogen production system considering source-load time series matching under grid-connected power constraints

To address grid stability concerns arising from the volatility of wind and solar power, the grid-connected power of renewable energy hydrogen production systems is usually limited. A novel configuration optimization method for the renewable energy hybrid hydrogen production system under grid-connected power generation constraints is proposed. Based on the downstream regulation capability of hydrogen, flexible supply of hydrogen is proposed to improve the flexibility of hydrogen production systems. Additionally, the ordered clustering method is used to match the renewable energy and hydrogen load in a time sequence for seasonal and fixed hydrogen loads. Meanwhile, the multi-objective optimization of economy and renewable energy utilization of hydrogen production system with multiple types and multiple electrolyzers is developed. Case study in a certain location in China demonstrates that flexible hydrogen supply effectively reduces annual total cost and renewable energy curtailment. Source-load timing matching significantly impacts capacity configuration under seasonal loads but has negligible effects under fixed loads. Furthermore, the annual total cost under seasonal hydrogen load is 48.73 % higher than that in the fixed hydrogen load scenario and requires the support of an energy storage system with a larger capacity.