Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq

The study evaluates the interconnections between renewable energy generation, hydrogen production, storage, and the operational demands of hydrogen co-fired gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants for carbon-neutral energy production. Specifically, it assesses the technical, economic, and env...

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Main Authors: Hassan Munther, Qusay Hassan, Aymen Mohammed, Talib Munshid Hanoon, Sameer Algburi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-04-01
Series:Unconventional Resources
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666519025000299
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author Hassan Munther
Qusay Hassan
Aymen Mohammed
Talib Munshid Hanoon
Sameer Algburi
author_facet Hassan Munther
Qusay Hassan
Aymen Mohammed
Talib Munshid Hanoon
Sameer Algburi
author_sort Hassan Munther
collection DOAJ
description The study evaluates the interconnections between renewable energy generation, hydrogen production, storage, and the operational demands of hydrogen co-fired gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants for carbon-neutral energy production. Specifically, it assesses the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of producing green hydrogen from hybrid photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine (WT) sources in Dhi Qar, Iraq. The analysis considers three scenarios with varying hydrogen mole fractions (15 %, 30 %, and 50 %) co-fired with natural gas in a 570 MWe of the GTCC power plant, emitting 1.39 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Baseline renewable electricity generation capacities for solar PV and wind energy were set at 497.5, 970, and 2200.5 MWp, with hybrid PV/WT systems optimized to supply power to an alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE) with capacities of 180, 425, and 825 MWp, based on hourly weather data from 2023. Multi-objective simulations and optimizations were performed using HOMER Pro and ProSim software to minimize the net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), cost of hydrogen (COH), and CO2 emissions. Over the proposed 20-year project lifespan (2023–2043), green hydrogen production ranged from 12,082 to 54,442.9 tonnes annually, with a COH between $3.29 and $3.16 per kilogram, demonstrating the economic viability of large-scale hydrogen production. Hydrogen consumption in the GTCC fuel mixture ranged from 10,554.1 to 47,431 tonnes annually, reducing CO2 emissions by 67,864.3 to 310,831.4 tonnes annually. Additionally, natural gas use decreased by 5.22 %–29.1 %, yielding savings of $6.79 to $31.08 million from avoided CO2 emissions costs. However, despite the environmental and fuel cost benefits, the NPC for the green hydrogen project ranged from $412.9 million to $1.785 billion, and the LCOE for hydrogen co-combustion in the GTCC power plant ranged from $113.54 to $127.74 per MWh, compared to $107.93 per MWh for 100 % natural gas-based power generation.
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spelling doaj-art-e008addf694949f18e23c1e4484f41f82025-08-20T03:13:32ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Unconventional Resources2666-51902025-04-01610016310.1016/j.uncres.2025.100163Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in IraqHassan Munther0Qusay Hassan1Aymen Mohammed2Talib Munshid Hanoon3Sameer Algburi4Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Diyala, Iraq; Corresponding author.Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Diyala, IraqElectrical Technical College, Al-Farahidi University, Baghdad, IraqMazaya University College, IraqCollege of Engineering, Al-Kitab University, Kirkuk, 36015, IraqThe study evaluates the interconnections between renewable energy generation, hydrogen production, storage, and the operational demands of hydrogen co-fired gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plants for carbon-neutral energy production. Specifically, it assesses the technical, economic, and environmental aspects of producing green hydrogen from hybrid photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine (WT) sources in Dhi Qar, Iraq. The analysis considers three scenarios with varying hydrogen mole fractions (15 %, 30 %, and 50 %) co-fired with natural gas in a 570 MWe of the GTCC power plant, emitting 1.39 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Baseline renewable electricity generation capacities for solar PV and wind energy were set at 497.5, 970, and 2200.5 MWp, with hybrid PV/WT systems optimized to supply power to an alkaline water electrolyzer (AWE) with capacities of 180, 425, and 825 MWp, based on hourly weather data from 2023. Multi-objective simulations and optimizations were performed using HOMER Pro and ProSim software to minimize the net present cost (NPC), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), cost of hydrogen (COH), and CO2 emissions. Over the proposed 20-year project lifespan (2023–2043), green hydrogen production ranged from 12,082 to 54,442.9 tonnes annually, with a COH between $3.29 and $3.16 per kilogram, demonstrating the economic viability of large-scale hydrogen production. Hydrogen consumption in the GTCC fuel mixture ranged from 10,554.1 to 47,431 tonnes annually, reducing CO2 emissions by 67,864.3 to 310,831.4 tonnes annually. Additionally, natural gas use decreased by 5.22 %–29.1 %, yielding savings of $6.79 to $31.08 million from avoided CO2 emissions costs. However, despite the environmental and fuel cost benefits, the NPC for the green hydrogen project ranged from $412.9 million to $1.785 billion, and the LCOE for hydrogen co-combustion in the GTCC power plant ranged from $113.54 to $127.74 per MWh, compared to $107.93 per MWh for 100 % natural gas-based power generation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666519025000299Green hydrogen co-firingGas turbine combined cycle power plantHydrogen blend with natural gasSolar and wind energy integrationTechno-economic assessmentCO2 emission reduction
spellingShingle Hassan Munther
Qusay Hassan
Aymen Mohammed
Talib Munshid Hanoon
Sameer Algburi
Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
Unconventional Resources
Green hydrogen co-firing
Gas turbine combined cycle power plant
Hydrogen blend with natural gas
Solar and wind energy integration
Techno-economic assessment
CO2 emission reduction
title Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
title_full Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
title_fullStr Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
title_full_unstemmed Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
title_short Techno-economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co-firing in a 570 MWe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in Iraq
title_sort techno economic and environmental evaluation of green hydrogen co firing in a 570 mwe gas turbine combined cycle power plant in iraq
topic Green hydrogen co-firing
Gas turbine combined cycle power plant
Hydrogen blend with natural gas
Solar and wind energy integration
Techno-economic assessment
CO2 emission reduction
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666519025000299
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