Energy/exergy, economic, and environment (3E) analysis of the hydrogen energy production process

Abstract

Recently, hydrogen has been shown to play an important role in sustainable energy production. One method to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and treat garbage, particularly solid waste, involves the creation of hydrogen from solid waste. The adoption of plasma-aided gasification and syngas purification, a carbon capture system to generate pure hydrogen, and a fuel cell system to generate clean electricity is a sustainable waste-to-energy plant strategy. The feasibility of the system in employing produced hydrogen as an energy resource will be studied by modeling and analyzing the energy and energy balance, economic impact, and environmental impact. Additionally, this simulation offers a comprehensive waste-to-energy system that supports the concept of sustainability. The simulation output demonstrates that, with the model design, the energy and mass entering the system remain constant. The plasma heater has an efficiency of 26% and is the sole piece of equipment with low energy efficiency. According to the techno-economic analysis, the research model with a 10% Internal Rate of Return and a 4-year payback period appears plausible, practical, and efficient. Additionally, the suggested design saves USD 4.5 billion for the plant's lifespan by reducing CO2 emissions by 90 GtCO2eq in comparison to conventional waste-to-energy systems without advanced technologies like plasma gasification and carbon capture.