Comparative Techno-economic Assessment of Wind-Powered Green Hydrogen Pathways

Abstract: Amid global interest in resilient energy systems, green hydrogen is considered vital to the net-zero transition, yet its deployment remains limited by high production cost. The cost is determined by the its production pathway, system configuration, asset location, and interplay with electricity markets and regulatory frameworks. To compare different deployment strategies in the UK, we develop a comprehensive techno-economic framework based on the Levelised Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) assessment. We apply this framework to 5 configurations of wind-electrolyser systems, identify the most cost-effective business cases, and conduct a sensitivity analysis of key economic parameters. Our results reveal that electricity cost is the dominant contributor to LCOH, followed by the electrolyser cost. Our work highlights the crucial role that location, market arrangements and control strategies among RES and hydrogen investors play in the economic feasibility of deploying green hydrogen systems. Policies that subsidise low-cost electricity access and optimise deployment can lower LCOH, enhancing the economic competitiveness of green hydrogen.