Purpose and Context
This whitepaper presents a quantitative, simulation-based techno-economic assessment of hybrid Power-to-X (P2X) systems combining PV, onshore wind, a 50 MW electrolyzer and a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) behind a single, constrained grid connection, developed in collaboration with the Institute for High Voltage Equipment & Grids, Digitalization and Energy Economics (IAEW) at RWTH Aachen University. Unlike approaches focused on isolated asset economics, the methodology evaluates the BESS as a multi-use flexibility asset, jointly optimized with renewable generation and electrolyzer operation under realistic German market and regulatory conditions.
Methodology
The framework couples a mixed-integer linear dispatch optimization at 15-minute resolution with transparent techno-economic indicators (NPV, IRR, DPP, LCOH). It explicitly maps the EEG 2023 framework — including §19(3b) pro-rata attribution and §85d delimitation rules — through a source-resolved attribution ledger. Four scenarios of stepwise BESS functionality, from a baseline without storage to full multi-use operation, are complemented by sizing landscapes for PV, wind and BESS power-to-energy ratios.
Strategic Value
Operating the BESS as a multi-use asset shifts on-site renewable output to match the electrolyzer load, reduces curtailment, and unlocks revenue stacking across self-consumption, EEG-compliant green feed-in and short-term arbitrage. The result is a more resilient business case that adapts to varying market and regulatory conditions, while making the trade-off between profitability and decarbonization explicit and measurable.
Evaluation Takeaways
In a German reference case, the multi-use configuration lifts project NPV from €3.55m to €30.81m (+27.3m€), while green LCOH improves only marginally from 5.98 to 5.93 €/kg, showing that BESS value is captured through operational flexibility rather than headline cost reduction. Under profit-maximizing dispatch, grid-based electricity covers 10.1 MW of the 50 MW electrolyzer load on average, rising to 12.6 MW in the costliest 20 % of hours. Sensitivity analyses reveal a structural trade-off: wind-heavy portfolios with multi-hour storage favor profitability, while PV-leaning mixes with minimal storage minimize LCOH.
Download the complete whitepaper with all insights for free here:
