Integrated energy economic environmental and technical assessment of an off grid solar photovoltaic hydrogen system for electricity supply in Wadi Al Shati, Libya

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Original abstract

The growing need to decarbonize power systems has increased interest in integrating renewable generation with long-duration energy storage technologies. In this study, an off-grid solar photovoltaic (PV) system coupled with a hydrogen production and storage subsystem is proposed to supply the urban electrical demand of Wadi Al-Shati in southern Libya. The assessment is based on a combined energy, economic, environmental, and technical (4E) analysis using local climatic conditions and annual load data. The proposed configuration includes a 625.5 MW PV plant, a 337 MW electrolyzer, a 177 MW fuel cell, and a compressed hydrogen storage tank with a volume of 24,285 m 3 , supported by a desalination unit and a hydrogen compression station. The results indicate that the system can reliably satisfy the full annual electricity demand while maintaining system stability under standalone operation. Economically, the total investment cost is estimated at about USD 1.742 billion, with a levelized cost of electricity of nearly USD 338/MWh and a payback period of 16.64 years. Environmentally, the system offers substantial mitigation potential by avoiding approximately 611,849 tons of CO 2 emissions each year. The findings confirm that PV-hydrogen systems represent a promising pathway for improving energy security and reducing dependence on fossil-fuel-based electricity generation in Libya, particularly in regions with high solar potential.

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