Green hydrogen production site validation and supply chain simulation and analysis: a case study of Lough Ree power plant

Abstract

Green hydrogen is generated from electrolyzing water with electricity from renewable sources. Thus, green hydrogen production has no carbon emissions and it releases oxygen and water into the environment. It can be a replacement for fossil fuels and mitigates the energy demand. Although green hydrogen technology is still on a small scale or in the pilot phase, the demand for green hydrogen has grown in recent years.

This thesis study will be conducted on a closed coal power plant that is proposed for transformation into a green hydrogen production site to mitigate the hydrogen demand in Ireland. One of the aims of the study is production site validation by comparing selected sites with an Ideal production site model. The ideal site model has been developed from literature and comparison has been performed under location, social, and technical criteria. The result shows that discussed site is valid as a production site except it is far from wind firm, gas, and rail networks.

Another aim is to develop various supply chain scenarios and simulate them to measure the performance metric which will help to select the best scenario. The discrete event simulation approach has been used to simulate the scenarios in Anylogistix software. The basic model has one supplier, one producer, five distribution centers, and twenty-six counties as customers. The different scenarios have been generated by varying the distribution centers. The selected performance metric is ELT service level by orders which is measured for high, moderate, and low levels of safety stock. The model is sensitive to demand variation. However, the simulation result shows that the production site is capable to satisfy the demand of midland customers and west-side customers of Ireland. That scenario has performed over 90% of ELT service level by orders for every level of safety stock. Also, they performed well for long-term (3 years) simulation and it is more economical than other scenarios. Overall, the Lough Ree power plant can supply green hydrogen with acceptable ELT service level by orders to the customers of Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan, Roscommon, Westmeath, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Offaly, and Sligo counties.