Techno-Economic Assessment of Green Hydrogen Production in El Galala, Egypt: A Comparative Study Between Wind and Solar PV Energy Sources

This research paper presents a comprehensive technological and economic assessment of large-scale green hydrogen production in El Galala, Egypt, using wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as primary renewable energy sources. Hourly simulations were performed using the System Advisor Model (SAM) to evaluate capacity factors, electrolyzer utilization, pathway efficiency, hydrogen-specific energy consumption, and levelized cost indicators. Results indicate that wind systems outperform solar PV in both operational and conversion efficiency, achieving capacity factors of 30–40% and pathway efficiencies of approximately 29–40%, compared to 22–28% and 15–18% for PV systems, respectively. Wind energy enables higher electrolyzer utilization and steadier operation, resulting in lower energy consumption per kilogram of hydrogen. A hybrid solar–wind configuration provides the most continuous year-round power supply and yields a real LCOE of 5.90 ¢/kWh. Although the standalone renewable plant scenario is not financially viable due to negative NPV and IRR, the economics improve significantly when power is used to produce high-value hydrogen derivatives. Among these, the green ammonia demonstrates the highest commercial maturity, strong global demand, and alignment with Egypt’s national hydrogen-export strategy. The results highlight El Galala as a promising location for renewable-powered hydrogen production and support Egypt’s Vision 2030 pathway toward becoming a regional hub for green hydrogen and associated derivatives.