Techno-economic benchmarking of green hydrogen production using fixed and tracking PV systems: a PVsyst–MATLAB integrated analysis

As global efforts toward decarbonization accelerate, green hydrogen has become a critical energy carrier, especially for developing countries with abundant solar resources. This study presents a comparative assessment of two photovoltaic (PV) configurations, fixed-tilted and dual-axis tracking systems, used to power hydrogen electrolyzers. A hybrid modeling approach is employed, utilizing PVsyst to simulate the PV system’s energy yield and MATLAB to evaluate hydrogen generation performance via electrolysis. The analysis focuses on key performance indicators such as reference yield, array yield, final yield, performance ratio (PR), levelized cost of energy (LCOE), levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH), and annual CO₂ emission reductions. Daily, monthly, and hourly energy outputs are also examined to capture temporal variations. Results indicate that the tracking system significantly outperforms the fixed configuration, producing 15,300 kWh annually compared to 11,253 kWh, marking a 36% increase in final yield. Annual PR averaged 0.823 for tracking and 0.826 for fixed. Furthermore, the tracking system achieves lower LCOE of $0.03632/kWh and LCOH of $4.37/kg, outperforming the fixed system, which records $0.04846/kWh and $5.82/kg, respectively. From an environmental perspective, the tracking system offsets 4972.14 kg of CO₂ emissions annually, compared to 3612.19 kg for the fixed system. This study not only establishes a performance benchmark for PV-powered hydrogen systems in high-irradiance regions but also underscores the strategic value of adopting tracking systems to enhance hydrogen production efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and improve economic viability. This work provides critical insights for advancing scalable green hydrogen initiatives and supports decisions aligned with global sustainability objectives.