The synergy between battery and hydrogen storage in stand-alone hybrid systems: A parameterised load approach

Hydrogen is widely considered advantageous for long-duration storage applications, however the conditions under which hydrogen outperforms batteries remain unclear. This study employs a novel load parameterisation approach to systematically examine the conditions under which integrating hydrogen significantly reduces the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The study analyses a broad spectrum of 210 synthetic load profiles, varying independently in duration, frequency, and timing at two Australian locations. This reveals that batteries dominate short, frequent, or well-aligned solar loads, and that hydrogen becomes economically beneficial during prolonged, infrequent, or poorly aligned loads—achieving up to 122 % (Gladstone) and 97 % (Geelong) LCOE improvements under current fuel cell costs, and even higher savings under reduced costs. This systematic method clarifies the load characteristics thresholds that define hydrogen's advantage, providing generalisable insights beyond individual case studies.