Techno-economic optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system with seawater-based pumped hydro, hydrogen, and battery storage for a coastal hotel

Abstract

This study presents the design and techno-economic optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for a coastal hotel in Manavgat, Türkiye. The system integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), pumped hydro storage (PHS), hydrogen storage (electrolyzer, tank, and fuel cell), batteries, a fuel cell-based combined heat and power (CHP) unit, and a boiler to meet both electrical and thermal demands. Within this broader optimization framework, six optimal configurations emerged, representing grid-connected and standalone operation modes. Optimization was performed in HOMER Pro to minimize net present cost (NPC) under strict reliability (0% unmet load) and renewable energy fraction (REF > 75%) constraints. The grid-connected PHS–PV–WT configuration achieved the lowest NPC ($1.33 million) and COE ($0.153/kWh), with a renewable fraction of ~96% and limited excess generation (~21%). Off-grid PHS-based and PHS–hydrogen configurations showed competitive performance with slightly higher costs. Hydrogen integration additionally provides complementary storage pathways, coordinated operation, waste heat utilization, and redundancy under component unavailability. Battery-only systems without PHS or hydrogen storage resulted in 37–39% higher capital costs and ~53% higher COE, confirming the economic advantage of long-duration PHS. Sensitivity analyses indicate that real discount rate variations notably affect NPC and COE, particularly for battery-only systems. Component cost sensitivity highlights PV and WT as dominant cost drivers, while PHS stabilizes system economics and the hydrogen subsystem contributes minimally due to its small scale. Overall, these results confirm the techno-economic and environmental benefits of combining seawater-based PHS with optional hydrogen and battery storage for sustainable hotel-scale applications