Modelization of hybrid systems with hydrogen and renewable energy oriented to electric propulsion in sailboats Víctor Alfonsín a,* , Andres Suarez a , Angeles Cancela b , Angel Sanchez b , Rocio Maceiras b a Defense University Center, Escuela Naval Militar, Plaza de Espa~ na 2, 36920 Marín, Spain b Chemical Engineering Department, EEI, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain article info Article history: Received 23 March 2014 Received in revised form 9 May 2014 Accepted 16 May 2014 Available online xxx Keywords: Sailboat Electric Battery Fuel cell Hydrogen Electrolyzer abstract This paper presents a conceptual model of a hybrid electric sailboat in which energy from electric grid is stored in batteries and energy from renewable energies (eolic, solar and hydro) is stored as hydrogen. The main objective of this model is to study the viability of electrifying traditional sailboats with internal combustion engines into hybrid systems with batteries and fuel cell. The most important advantage of this design is the possibility to reduce up to zero emissions of traditional sailboat. Conversion of renewable energy to hydrogen is performed through an electrolyzer and post conversion to energy is carried out by a fuel cell. The fuel cell with the batteries forms the hybrid system (batteries-fuel cell) for propulsion electrical energy supply. In order to model the boat dynamic and energy systems, modular mathematical models were developed under Matlab ® -Simulink ® , using a fixed-step solver for the simulation of global model. A simulated logic controller manages the global model. In this paper, many models have been used: some of them are based in literature models and others were developed from experimental data. A control strategy has also been developed to manage energy flows and then it has been embedded to Mat- lab ® language. The global model permits test the performance of the sailboat. Copyright © 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction The increase of energetic and environmental problems has favored the development of alternative energy conversion systems [1]. Transport machines with only internal combus- tion engine (ICE) are being replaced by hybrid systems using two or more power sources [2,3]. Battery systems are the most widely used power sources due to their high efficiency and relatively low cost [4]. On the other hand, fuel cell systems are a new emerging technology that could solve environmental problems, contribute the accomplishment of Kyoto Protocol and besides it can help to solve the oil dependence [5e7]. Due to similarities between batteries and fuel cell systems, their combined effect promise great results [8]. Furthermore, in recent years the implementation of renewable sources as photovoltaic and eolic energy in Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRES) is becoming popular for power generation [9]. The main disadvantage of these type of renewable energy sources is their seasonal nature, which * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ34 986 804942. E-mail addresses: valfonsin@cud.uvigo.es, valfonsin@gmail.com (V. Alfonsín). Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/he international journal of hydrogen energy xxx (2014) 1 e11 Please cite this article in press as: Alfonsín V, et al., Modelization of hybrid systems with hydrogen and renewable energy oriented to electric propulsion in sailboats, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/ j.ijhydene.2014.05.104 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.05.104 0360-3199/Copyright © 2014, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.