Green hydrogen to address seasonal variability of wind and solar energy production in Australia

Energy storage is fundamental to tackling irregular energy production by solar and wind. Unfortunately, the need for storage over different time scales is not properly acknowledged in many jurisdictions, with Australia being one of them. A key research question to address is how is it possible for Australia to move toward net zero producing energy only by solar and wind, compensating for the large seasonal variability. We show as without having dispatchable energy production using carbon and hydrocarbon fuels, or green hydrogen energy storage, this is impossible. The limited battery energy storage or pumped hydro energy storage being developed does not permit the necessary long-term storage in the huge amounts needed. Every serious approach to progress toward net-zero should include hydrogen and nuclear energy production. This perspective emphasizes the need for a balanced and pragmatic approach that considers a variety of energy sources and storage technologies to achieve both environmental and energy security goals. (c) 2023 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved..