Assessment of the performance of a Photovoltaic (pv) system for powering electrolysers in the green hydrogen project at Tsau//khaebs National Park using modelling and simulation approach

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Renewable Energy

The Namibian government, through the Southern Corridor Development Initiative (SCDI), aims to produce 300,000 tons of hydrogen annually at Tsau //Khaeb National Park using wind and solar energy. This thesis focuses on the PV system required to power the electrolyser, involving site analysis, component selection, and system optimisation using PVsyst and Fraunhofer Zenit. Economic evaluation was conducted via Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) calculations. A site investigation using QGIS, Google Earth, and SolarGIS determined the coordinates, area, topography, and solar resources. System sizing and optimisation indicated that 4,586,736 monofacial modules (610 W) are needed for the fixed-tilt system and 4,181,184 modules for the tracked system. The fixed system requires 803 inverters, while the tracked system needs 732. The land area required is 21.7 km² for the fixed system and 32.2 km² for the tracked system across both Springbok and Dolphin sites, respectively. Simulation results showed differences in performance ratio (PR). At Springbok, PVsyst reported 83.55% for the fixed system and 82.42% for the tracked system. At Dolphin, PR was 83.99% (fixed) and 82.75% (tracked). In Zenit, Springbok's PR was 76% (fixed) and 81.4% (tracked), while Dolphin's PR was 76.1% (fixed) and 81.6% (tracked). Zenit’s results were deemed more realistic due to its comprehensive modelling. The purpose of this study is to address the lack of independent research on the proposed SCDI Namibian Green Hydrogen project. The tracked system is recommended due to its superior performance, though further cost evaluations are necessary to address uncertainties