A review: compatibility of fuel cells as promising technology for DC-microgrids

Abstract

Due to a well-established infrastructure developed over the years, fossil fuel-based energy remains the predominant global energy source. Nevertheless, with heightened global attention towards addressing climate change concerns, there has been an increased focus on green energy technologies across various sectors. The advancement of distributed renewable power generation technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV), wind, wave, tidal, etc., has contributed to a growing independence of power consumers from centralized grids, leading to a pronounced shift towards distributed microgrids. Notably, numerous electrical devices operate on DC power, aligning with the DC power output of many distributed renewable sources. Consequently, the concept of DC microgrids is gaining traction. Amid this context, fuel cells have resurged in prominence on a global scale, alongside the development of hydrogen economies. Given fuel cells DC-based nature, they are well-suited to explore new frontiers within DC microgrids. However, the seamless integration of fuel cells into DC microgrids requires effective power electronic interfacing. Thus, a comprehensive examination of the integration of fuel cells into DC microgrids becomes imperative. This article aims to address this gap by offering an extensive review of fuel cell technologies, the landscape of DC microgrids, and the prevailing context of control architectures. Notably, this review article fills an existing void in the literature by consolidating the key elements into a unified discussion.