A modular simulation tool for techno-economic analysis of renewable hydrogen production plants

The implementation of renewable hydrogen projects requires simulation tools capable of representing operational dynamics and techno-economic performance under realistic conditions. This paper presents a modular, object-oriented simulation tool developed in Python that simulates hourly operation of renewable hydrogen production plants over their lifetime. Major plant modules, including photovoltaic generation, electrolysers, compression, hydrogen storage and demand, are represented as independent objects whose interactions are coordinated through a demand-driven request-response workflow, ensuring consistent energy and mass balances. The tool is applied to an off-grid case study located in Sines, Portugal. For the base configuration, the levelized cost of hydrogen is 6.45 €/kg, the electricity utilisation ratio is 81.9% and the hydrogen demand fulfilment rate is 64%. A parametric analysis highlights electrolyser and photovoltaic capacities as the main drivers of cost and supply performance. The proposed tool provides a flexible and transparent framework to support techno-economic assessment of renewable hydrogen production systems. • Modular tool for hourly, lifetime H 2 techno-economic analysis. • Object-oriented architecture with request-response control. • Flexible plant layout and component sizing via modular design. • Sines case study shows LCOH of 6.41 €/kg over 20-year horizon.