A Hydrogen‐Enabled Smart Microgrid for Rural School Electrification: Techno‐Economic Optimization, Stability Analysis and Predictive Energy Management

Reliable and sustainable electricity access remains a critical challenge for rural educational institutions in developing countries such as Bangladesh, where frequent grid interruptions disrupt academic activities and essential services. This study proposes a hydrogen‐enabled hybrid renewable microgrid designed to provide dependable and environmentally sustainable electricity for a remote secondary school. The primary objective is to develop a cost‐effective, low‐carbon and resilient energy system that minimizes reliance on fossil‐fuel‐based grid electricity while ensuring an uninterrupted power supply. The proposed microgrid integrates solar photovoltaic generation, a hydrogen production system with an electrolyser, hydrogen storage, a fuel cell, battery energy storage and limited grid support. The system configuration is optimized using HOMER Pro to determine the most economical and efficient design. In addition, MATLAB‐based simulations are conducted to evaluate the voltage and frequency stability of the microgrid under different operating conditions. A deep learning model is also implemented to forecast battery state‐of‐charge, enabling improved energy management and operational reliability. The optimized system achieves a cost of energy (COE) of $0.0395/kWh and a net present cost of $18,078. Moreover, annual CO 2 emissions are reduced by 84.7% (5447 kg) compared with conventional fossil‐based electricity generation systems.