Assessment of hydrogen production potential and energy mismatch reduction of a novel solar-hydrogen cladding system

Building-integrated photovoltaics are increasingly adopted in buildings. However, their intermittent power generation places additional stress on the electricity grid, highlighting the need for local energy storage. This study proposes a compact solar-hydrogen building skin integrating façade-mounted photovoltaic panels with proton exchange membrane electrolyzers for on-site renewable energy generation and storage. A MATLAB/Simulink model was developed to evaluate system performance in Phoenix, Chicago, Miami, and Seattle under different climatic conditions. The reference building was a mid-rise apartment equipped with 340 photovoltaic panels (792.2 m²). Each panel was paired with a 6-cell proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, supported by an 8 m³ compressed hydrogen tank and a 20-kW proton exchange membrane fuel cell. An experimental solar-hydrogen system was also constructed to partially validate the model. Measured and simulated hydrogen production showed good agreement, with a mean bias error of 2.72 % and a coefficient of variation of the root mean square error of 24.26 %. Annual simulations compared building performance with and without hydrogen energy storage. Phoenix achieved the largest reduction in electrical mismatch (47.03 %), the greatest reduction in combined electricity-heating mismatch (21.59 %), the highest combined self-sufficiency ratio (49.14 %), a 29.31 % reduction in heating demand through fuel-cell heat recovery, and a 16.68 % reduction in grid energy imports. Across the four locations, electrical round-trip efficiency ranged from 30.73 % to 35.15 %. The results indicate that hydrogen is better suited for long-term or seasonal storage in Phoenix and Miami, whereas lower-cost battery storage is more appropriate for Chicago and Seattle, highlighting the importance of climate-specific storage strategies.