Techno-economic and environmental assessment of green hydrogen production in multiple Australian regions using different electrolyzer technologies
Tushar Kanti Roy
Abstract
The global transition toward a carbon-neutral economy has positioned green hydrogen as a pivotal zero-emission energy carrier. Australia, with its abundant solar and wind resources, is well-positioned to lead in renewable hydrogen production. However, its techno-economic feasibility remains highly dependent on electrolyzer technology selection, site-specific renewable availability, and optimal system design. Therefore, this study develops a unified, sustainability-driven techno-economic framework to evaluate off-grid green hydrogen production across twelve Australian regions. The off-grid system is benchmarked against grid-connected configurations to validate its techno-economic feasibility under varying resource conditions. It integrates proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEMEL), alkaline electrolyzer (AEL), and solid oxide electrolyzer (SOEL) technologies with a standardized hybrid renewable energy system—comprising 60% solar PV, 40% wind, battery storage, electrolyzers, and hydrogen tanks. System components are optimally sized based on projected hydrogen demand, and performance is assessed using multi-criteria indicators including levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH), net present cost (NPC), lifecycle emissions, employment generation, and human development index (HDI) improvement. Among all regions, Pilbara demonstrated the lowest LCOH of $3.38/kg and a 9.29% Internal Rate of Return (IRR). Sensitivity analysis identified solar capacity factor and electrolyzer CAPEX as the most influential economic drivers. The proposed framework confirms that green hydrogen can reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 95% compared to grey hydrogen while also enhancing regional employment and HDI, particularly in remote communities.