• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.607-615
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• 2022

In this study, economic analysis program was developed for economic evaluation of hydrogen production, storage/delivery, and utilization technologies as well as overseas import of hydrogen. Economic analysis program can be used for the estimation of the levelized cost of hydrogen for hydrogen supply chain technologies. This program include five hydrogen production technology on steam methane reforming and water electrolysis, two hydrogen storage technologies (high compressed gas and liquid hydrogen storage), three hydrogen delivery technologies (compressed gas delivery using tube trailer, liquid hydrogen, and pipeline transportation) and six hydrogen utilization technologies on hydrogen refueling station and stationary fuel cell system. In the case of overseas import hydrogen, it was considered to be imported from five countries (Austraila, Chile, India, Morocco, and UAE), and the transportation methods was based on liquid hydrogen, ammonia, and liquid organic hydrogen carrier. Economic analysis program that was developed in this study can be expected to utilize for planning a detailed implementation methods and hydrogen supply strategies for the hydrogen economy road map of government.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.251-259
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to evaluate the economic feasibility of domestic on-site steam methane reforming (SMR) hydrogen refueling stations. We evaluated the levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) for the SMR hydrogen refueling stations, which have production capacities of 100 kg/day (SMR 100), 200 kg/day (SMR 200), and 500 kg/day (SMR 500) utilizing the scale factor. The main results indicated that the LCOH of SMR 100, SMR 200, and SMR 500 were 14,367 won/kg, 11,122 won/kg, and 8,157 won/kg, if the utilizations of hydrogen stations were 70%. These results imply that the production capacity of the domestic SMR hydrogen station should be greater than 500 kg/day to compete with other hydrogen stations when we consider the current sale price of hydrogen at the hydrogen stations.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.660-673
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• 2022

In achieving carbon neutrality and the hydrogen economy, the estimation of H₂ cost is critical in terms of CCU technologies. This study analyzes LCOH of hydrogen produced by the carbon utilization unit with methane reforming and CO₂ from thermal power plant. LCOH for H₂ made with CO is estimated in three ways of Joint Cost Allocations with financial performance risk assessment. Regarding cost analysis, the zero value of LCOH is $6,003/ton. We found that the CCU technology has economic feasibility in terms of profitability. The sensitivity analysis result shows that the input ratio is more influential to the LCOH than other variables. Risk analysis presents the baseline price of zero value of LCOH - $8,408/ton, which is higher than the cost analysis - $6,003/ton. Mainly, the price variability of natural gas primarily affects the LCOH. The study has significant value in analyzing the financial performance risks as well as the cost of H₂ produced by a Plasma-based CCU system.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.643-659
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• 2022

For the economic analysis of fuel cells, levelized cost of electricity was calculated according to the type, capacity, and annual production of the fuel cells. The cost of every component was calculated through the system component breakdown. The direct cost of the system included stack cost, component cost, assembly, test, and conditioning cost, and profit markup cost were added. The effect of capacity and annual production was analyzed by fuel cell type. Sensitivity analysis was performed according to stack life, capital cost, project period, and fuel cost. As a result, it was derived how much the economic efficiency of the fuel cell improves as the capacity increases and the annual production increases.

• Clean Technology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2020

According to the Korean Renewable Energy 3020 Implementation Plan, the installation capacity of renewable energy is expected to increase whereas technology for storing excess electricity and stabilizing the power supply of renewable energy sources is extremely required. Power-to-Gas is one of energy storage technologies where electricity is converted into gas fuel such as hydrogen and methane. Basically, Power-to-Gas system could be effectively utilized to store excess electricity generated by an imbalance between supply and demand. In this study, the economic feasibility analysis of Power-to-Gas reflecting the domestic situation was carried out. Total revenue requirement method was utilized to estimate the levelized cost of hydrogen. Validation on the economic analysis method in this study was conducted by comparison of the result, which is published by the International Energy Agency. The levelized cost of hydrogen of a 100-MW Power-to-Gas system reflecting the current economic status in Korea is 8,344 won kg^-1. The sensitivity analysis was carried out, applying the main analysis economic factors such as electricity cost, electrolyser cost, and operating year. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the conditions for economic feasibility were suggested by comparing the cost of producing hydrogen using renewable energy with the cost of producing natural gas reformed hydrogen with carbon capture and storage.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.228.2-228.2
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• 2010

In this work, the hydrogen production costs of the nuclear energy sources are estimated in the necessary input data on a Korean specific basis. G4-ECONS was appropriately modified to calculate the cost for hydrogen production of HTE process with Very High Temperature nuclear Reactor (VHTR) as a thermal energy source rather than the LUEC (Levelized Unit Electricity Cost). The general ground rules and assumptions follow G4-ECONS. Through a preliminary study of cost estimates, we wished to evaluate the economic potential for hydrogen produced from nuclear energy, and, in addition, to promptly estimate the hydrogen production costs for an updated input data for capital costs. The estimated costs presented in this paper show that hydrogen production by the VHTR could be competitive with current techniques of hydrogen production from fossil fuels if $CO_2$ capture and sequestration is required. Nuclear production of hydrogen would allow large-scale production of hydrogen at economic prices while avoiding the release of $CO_2$. Nuclear production of hydrogen could thus become the enabling technology for the hydrogen economy. The major factors that would affect the cost of hydrogen were also discussed.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.109.1-109.1
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• 2011

KEPCO was operating power plants with diesel generators in 49 islands including Baekryeong-Do, and the generation capacity was about 66 MW in 2008. The cost of fuel is increasing by the international oil price inflation and continuous rise of oil price is predicted. For the stabilizing of electric power supply to the separate islands, renewable energy and fuel cell systems were considered. Hydrogen is made using renewable energy such as wind power and solar energy, and then a fuel cell system generates electricity with the stored hydrogen. Though the system efficiency is low, it is treated as the only way to secure the stable electric supply using renewable energy at this present. The analytic hierarchy process was used to select suitable candidate island for the system installation and 5 islands including Ulleung-Do were selected. Economic evaluation for the system composed of a kerosene generator, a wind power, an electrolysis, and a fuel cell system was conducted with levelized generation cost based on present value methode. As the result, the necessity of renewable energy combined generation system and micro grid composition in the candidated islands was confirmed. Henceforth, the development of an integration technology which connects micro grid to the total power grid will be needed.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.707-714
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• 2022

Hydrogen production using solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC) is a promising technology because of its efficiency, cleanness, and scalability. Especially, high-power SOEC system has received a lot of attention from researchers. This study compared and analyzed the low-power and high-power SOEC system in term of economic. By using revenue requirement method, levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) was calculated for comparison. In addition, the sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the dependence of hydrogen cost on input variables. The results indicated that high-power SOEC system is superior to a low-power SOEC system. In the capital cost, the stack cost is dominant in both systems, but the electricity cost is the most contributed factor to the hydrogen cost. If the high-power SOEC system combines with a nuclear power plant, the hydrogen cost can reach 3.65 $/kg when the electricity cost is 3.28 ¢/kWh and the stack cost is assumed to be 574 $/kW.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.182-192
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• 2022

This study provides an overview of the production costs of methane and hydrogen via water electrolysis-based hydrogen production followed by a methanation based methane production technology utilizing CO₂ from external sources. The study shows a comparative way for economic optimization of green methane generation using excess free electricity from renewable sources. The study initially developed the overall process on the Aspen Plus simulation tool. Aspen Plus estimated the capital expenditure for most of the equipment except for the methanation reactor and electrolyzer. The capital expenditure, the operating expenditure and the feed cost were used in a discounted cash flow based economic model for the methane production cost estimation. The study compared different reactor configurations as well. The same model was also used for a hydrogen production cost estimation. The optimized economic model estimated a methane production cost of $11.22/mcf when the plant is operating for 4000 hr/year and electricity is available for zero cost. Furthermore, a hydrogen production cost of $2.45/GJ was obtained. A sensitivity analysis was performed for the methane production cost as the electrolyzer cost varies across different electrolyzer types. A sensitivity study was also performed for the changing electricity cost, the number of operation hours per year and the plant capacity. The estimated levelized cost of methane (LCOM) in this study was less than or comparable with the existing studies available in the literature.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.235-245
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• 2023

Techno-economic analyses on a 5-MW water electrolysis system for hydrogen production, operated in Jeju Island where the portion of renewable energy in the power grid is the highest in Korea, have been performed. The cost of hydrogen production and the economic feasibility of the hydrogen production system have been mainly analyzed based on the levelized-cost-of-hydrogen model. The effects of carbon emission trading and renewable power purchase method have been considered to reduce the cost of green hydrogen production in the case studies. This economic analysis model is expected to be used to derive a business model for green hydrogen production.