**Hydrogen as a clean fuel source: digital twins could lower production costs**
Hydrogen has the potential to be a low-emission and environmentally friendly fuel source. However, its production process has hindered its widespread use due to high costs. Currently, most hydrogen is produced as a by-product of fossil-fuel refinement, while electrolytic hydrogen production represents less than 1 percent of global production. To make hydrogen a viable clean energy source, the cost of electrolysis must be significantly reduced.
Sharaf Alsharif, a researcher at the Oldenburger OFFIS Institute for Information Technology in Germany, proposes the use of digital twins to reduce the cost of hydrogen production. Digital twins are computer simulation programs that can closely monitor and optimize the operations of physical devices. By using digital twins to monitor electrolyzers, the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the electrolysis process can be improved.
One way digital twins can lower the cost of electrolysis is by monitoring the health status of electrolyzers. By tracking the performance of components such as electrodes, membranes, and pumps, digital twins can predict potential failures and recommend maintenance schedules. This predictive maintenance capability can save operators significant production time by avoiding unscheduled troubleshooting and downtime.
To promote the adoption of digital twins in electrolysis, Alsharif and his colleagues at OFFIS presented a software architecture for developing monitoring digital twins for hydrogen electrolysis systems. The envisioned future includes operators having dashboards that provide real-time data on the performance of electrolyzers. Digital twins would remotely monitor the electrolyzers and alert operators of any anomalous behavior. A well-defined software architecture makes it easier for operators to build their own digital twins for hydrogen electrolysis systems.
Digital twins also offer the advantage of direct control over electrolyzers. For example, digital twins can adjust energy consumption based on the current energy mix of the power grid. When more renewable energy sources are available, the digital twins can direct electrolyzers to increase production, making the production of hydrogen greener. Conversely, during peak usage periods or when the price of grid energy rises, production can be decreased, reducing the overall cost of hydrogen electrolysis.
The researchers aimed to create a digital twin software architecture suitable for any type of hydrogen electrolyzer. The architecture had to handle bidirectional data connections with the electrolyzers, provide live updates on component health, and offer maintenance scheduling recommendations. They opted for a service-oriented architecture, which allows flexibility and the addition of new services to the digital twin system.
Alsharif emphasizes that the digital twin technology can also support the manufacturing process of electrolyzers to scale up clean hydrogen production. Currently, electrolyzer manufacturing is a semi-manual process. By using digital twins throughout the production process, from the manufacturing stage to operation and maintenance, the entire hydrogen production system can be optimized.
Future research may focus on using digital twins to improve the manufacturing process of large electrolyzers. To achieve widespread clean hydrogen production, the manufacturing process needs to be scaled up. Digital twins can provide support, not only for the operation and maintenance of electrolyzers, but also from the very beginning of the production or manufacturing process.
**Sources:**
[1] IEEE Spectrum – [Digital Twins Can Help Lower the Cost of Clean Hydrogen](https://spectrum.ieee.org/digital-twins-can-help-lower-the-cost-of-clean-hydrogen)
[2] IEEE Xplore – [Digital Twins for Hydrogen Electrolysis](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10172999)
