The main objective of the SSH2S (Fuel Cell Coupled Solid State Hydrogen Storage Tank) project was to develop a solid state hydrogen storage tank based on complex hydrides and to fully integrate it with a High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cell stack. A mixed lithium amide/magnesium hydride system was used as the main storage material for the tank, due to its high gravimetric storage capacity and relatively low hydrogen desorption temperature. The mixed *Manuscript text (with figures and captions embedded) Click here to view linked References To be submitted to Journal of Power Sources lithium amide/magnesium hydride system was coupled with a standard intermetallic compound to take advantage of its capability to release hydrogen at ambient temperature and to ensure a fast start-up of the system. The hydrogen storage tank was designed to feed a 1 kW HT-PEM stack for 2 hours to be used for an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). A full thermal integration was possible thanks to the high operation temperature of the fuel cell and to the relative low temperature (170 °C) for hydrogen release from the mixed lithium amide/magnesium hydride system.

The need for storage of energy produced from renewable sources is increasing in the last decades, due to uneven energy production from these sources and to the need to run systems located in off grid areas. In this paper, two alternative integrated power systems were taken into account and compared: one based on photovoltaic and hydrogen technology (electrolyzer coupled with a fuel cell), the other based on photovoltaic and batteries. The two power systems, designed for off-grid applications, were sized on the basis of load curves created starting from possible appliances in use of a family house, and on the photovoltaic energy production in the area of Turin, Italy. They have to provide 3 kW maximum power, with an average daily consumption of 10.25 kWh in winter, 8.96 kWh in spring and autumn and 8.62 kWh in summer. The two systems were compared from a technical and economical point of view and a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment analysis (LCA) was performed, in order to describe the environmental impact of the systems. Being the fuel cell and the electrolyzer niche products from a commercial point of view, their costs are higher with respect to Li-ion batteries, therefore, power system based on the hydrogen technology results to be more expensive. However, from the environmental point of view the preliminary LCA results show that both electrolyzer plus fuel cell, and batteries have lower impacts with respect to other components, for example the solar panels. The paper contains new data on a comparison between two alternative integrated power systems: one based on photovoltaic and hydrogen technology (elctrolyzer coupled with fuel cells), the other based on photovoltaic and batteries. These systems were designed starting from the photovoltaic energy production in the area of Turin, Italy and load curves created from possible appliances in use of a family house in the same region. The two systems were compared from a technical and economical point of view and a preliminary Life Cycle Assessment analysis (LCA) was performed, in order to give an idea of the environmental impact of the systems. In the introduction it is more clearly stated the knowledge gap that can be filled with the present article, i.e. the lack of papers that compare the hydrogen technology and the battery as energy storage systems using three parameters (system's sizing, costs analysis and LCA). Moreover, a more complete survey of the literature was made, paying particular attention to papers published in Applied Energy and others top energy journals. Università degli Studi di TorinoI look forward to hear from you. Sincerely yours Paola RizziCover Letter Design and sizing of two power systems for off-grid applications in Turin area. Comparison of energy storage systems: electrolyzer coupled with fuel cell and battery Cost analysis show that power system based on hydrogen technology is more expensive LCA shows that electrolyzer + fuel cell has lower impact with respect to solar panels *Highlights (for review) 1 Energy storage from ren...

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