RT23 |Real-Time Simulation of an Islanded Microgrid System for Renewable Hydrogen Production

To achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 and meet the increasing global targets for sustainable energy, it becomes increasingly important to expand the range of available and affordable low-carbon technologies. In this context, offshore wind energy for renewable hydrogen production is seen as a viable option and a compelling example of a technology that is ready to make a significant difference in future energy systems. This work proposes the real-time simulation development of an islanded microgrid system for renewable hydrogen production from the energy generated in an Offshore Wind Farm (OWF). The project considers the location of hydrogen production in two distinct scenarios: offshore hydrogen production (Scenario 1) and onshore hydrogen production (Scenario 2). Scenario 1 considers hydrogen production in the same area as the OWF, offshore with storage, and subsequent transportation of the produced hydrogen to the coast by ship or submarine pipeline. Scenario 2 considers hydrogen production on the mainland, i.e., onshore, with the OWF electricity transmitted through undersea power cables. The wind speed data is obtained using the ERA5 database through the regional atmospheric model WRF with a spatial resolution of 1 km. The model simulates wind behavior over one year with a temporal resolution of 10 minutes, covering a maximum distance of 50 km from the Port of Açu, located in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro State. The project considers a 120 MW OWF, consisting of 8 IEA 15 MW wind turbines, a 12 MW BESS (Battery Energy Storage System), and a 120 MW electrical load composed of 6 PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) electrolyzers, each with a capacity of 20 MW (4 x 5 MW stack). The system operates in islanded mode, and therefore, the BESS operates in grid-forming mode (GFM) using droop control (Active Power/Frequency - P/F and Reactive Power/Voltage - Q/V). The management of loads, battery charging, and discharging is performed through the Power Management System (PMS). Due to the intermittency of the OWF and considering that the system operates in islanded mode, it is necessary to turn the electrolyzers on and off (operating in the range of 5% to 125% of rated power) according to the available power and battery state of charge (SOC). For the development of the system, offline simulations will be carried out in the Matlab/Simulink environment and validated through real-time simulations using OPAL-RT hardware for power electronics and control systems. The system is tested under different wind speed conditions. The simulation results are presented and compared to validate the developed system.