Healthcare institutions in developing nations face severe operational risks from frequent and unpredictable grid failures. Traditional backup solutions—diesel generators or battery-only systems—present unacceptable trade-offs: high operating costs, substantial emissions, or insufficient duration for extended outages lasting many hours. Researchers from South Asia conducted the first optimization study of a hydrogen-integrated hospital-scale microgrid, focusing on Tangail Medical College Hospital in Bangladesh.
The hybrid system combines three generation sources: solar photovoltaic arrays, wind turbines, and grid connection; battery energy storage handles short-duration outages; and an electrolyzer-fuel cell configuration manages longer, infrequent outages through hydrogen production and reconversion. Using HOMER Pro simulation software with site-specific meteorological data and the hospital's actual load profile—including operating rooms, intensive care units, and essential services—researchers evaluated five distinct system architectures over a 25-year lifespan.
The optimal configuration achieved compelling economic and environmental outcomes. The levelized cost of energy reached USD 0.0378/kWh with a net present cost of USD 3.73 million. Renewable sources supplied approximately 77% of annual generation, with hydrogen produced at USD 3.81/kg. The system reduced annual carbon dioxide emissions by 63% compared to conventional diesel backup approaches.
Sensitivity analysis revealed that discount rates and solar resource availability most significantly influence project economics. Despite these favorable metrics, substantial implementation barriers remain. The required upfront capital investment, nascent hydrogen supply chains in developing regions, and limited local technical expertise for electrolyzer and fuel cell maintenance present formidable challenges.
The study provides healthcare planners and energy engineers with a replicable optimization methodology applicable across grid-constrained developing economies. By demonstrating that renewable-hydrogen integration can reliably serve hospital loads while improving environmental performance, this work contributes practical pathways toward resilient, sustainable healthcare infrastructure in regions where grid reliability cannot be assumed.
