A full-scale hydrogen testbed as a key element in the development of hydrogen technologie

This paper presents an analysis of the Sakhalin Hydrogen Testbed - the first integrated platform in Russia designed for the validation and demonstration of hydrogen technologies. The testbed covers the entire hydrogen value chain, in­cluding production, storage, transportation, and end-use applications, thereby bridging the gap between laboratory-scale research (TRL 1-4) and industrial deployment (TRL 7-9). At the base site, a 297 kW solar photovoltaic power plant supplies electricity to a 30 Nm3/h electrolyzer. The produced hydrogen is stored in composite cylinders at pressures up to 70 MPa and delivered to dedicated test benches for fuel cells and demonstration units. An experimental refue­ling station enables hydrogen fueling of a 200 L tank («7,5 kg H2) within <25 minutes, with compressor throughput >30 m3/h, in compliance with SAE J2601 standards. Remote pilot sites include a backup power system for a telecommu­nications tower using a 5 kW PEM fuel cell, providing up to 72 h of autonomous operation under grid outage conditions. A hybrid wind-hydrogen microgrid integrates a 250 kW wind turbine, a 20 Nm3/h electrolyzer, a 30 kW PEM fuel cell, and a 50 kWh vanadium redox flow battery. This system supplies up to 85% of the annual demand for a ~150 kW load while reducing generation costs by more than 60% compared with diesel. Mobile hydrogen-based systems for emer­gency response incorporate a 10 kW PEM fuel cell, a 20 kWh lithium-ion battery, a 15 kW modular photovoltaic array, and a 70 MPa hydrogen storage module in composite cylinders, enabling autonomous operation of a field camp for up to 10 days. The testbed serves as an integrated technical and educational infrastructure, supporting standardization, val­idation of hydrogen technologies under extreme conditions, and workforce training, thereby accelerating the industrial deployment of hydrogen solutions in energy-isolated regions.

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