The shortage of medical oxygen during the COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical gaps in the healthcare infrastructure, particularly in hospitals that rely entirely on external supply chains and lack their own oxygen generation systems. This research presents a hybrid renewable energy solution that combines solar photovoltaic (PV) energy with a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer to produce medical-grade oxygen on-site and continuously, contributing to long-term resilience in oxygen availability.

The system is designed to operate in grid-connected environments with intermittent reliability, providing autonomy and security in oxygen supply without depending on conventional oxygen cylinders or bulk supply deliveries. A comprehensive techno-economic and energy optimization analysis was conducted to improve the system’s performance, considering variables such as solar irradiance, panel configuration, electrolyzer capacity, and daily oxygen demand.

Simulation results, based on real solar radiation data and hospital oxygen consumption profiles, demonstrate that the optimized hybrid solar-electrolyzer system is capable of meeting the hospital’s oxygen demand with stable performance. The results highlight the system’s potential to reduce reliance on external suppliers and increase operational independence for healthcare centers.

This study contributes to the development of sustainable, decentralized energy-based solutions tailored to real healthcare needs, enabling hospitals to ensure continuous oxygen availability through the integration of renewable energy technologies.