Potencial of PV-driven hybrid energy storage systems with metal hybride storage in the residential sector

Doctoral project at a glance

The energy transition that Germany is striving for - away from fossil fuels and toward more renewable energies - requires more storage capacity. The fluctuating energy flows caused by changing weather conditions must be balanced by energy storage systems. Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for this purpose. It can help to create a seasonal balance of solar energy. Hydrogen can be produced from water by electrolysis using electricity from photovoltaics (PV). Hydrogen can then be stored in metals or pressurized gas storage tanks. If required, hydrogen is converted back into electricity by means of a fuel cell, releasing heat in the process. For the FlexHyX project, PhD student Steffen Schedler; is developing scenarios for the system integration of such hydrogen storage in the Cologne region. He is investigating how much energy from rooftop PV systems on residential buildings can be temporarily stored and how these storage systems can be integrated into future electricity and hydrogen gas grids. For this purpose, different sources from public databases are combined and the influence of building sizes (single to multi-family houses) is investigated in simulation models.

Doctoral candidate

Supervising professor

Project Description

The energy transition that Germany is striving for - away from fossil fuels and toward more renewable energies - requires more storage capacity. The fluctuating energy flows caused by changing weather conditions must be balanced by energy storage systems. Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for this purpose. It can help to create a seasonal balance of solar energy. Hydrogen can be produced from water by electrolysis using electricity from photovoltaics (PV). Hydrogen can then be stored in metals or pressurized gas storage tanks. If required, hydrogen is converted back into electricity by means of a fuel cell, releasing heat in the process. For the FlexHyX project, PhD student Steffen Schedler is developing scenarios for the system integration of such hydrogen storage in the Cologne region. He is investigating how much energy from rooftop PV systems on residential buildings can be temporarily stored and how these storage systems can be integrated into future electricity and hydrogen gas grids. For this purpose, different sources from public databases are combined and the influence of building sizes (single to multi-family houses) is investigated in simulation models.