Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems for CPEC's Emerging Economic Zones and Hydrogen Production from Surplus Energy /

Abstract

This thesis is a techno-economic investigation of indigenous renewable energy systems for the CPEC SEZs as a strategic approach to enhancing energy reliability, sustainability, and economic viability. Also, surplus Energy from these intermittent resources will be used to generate green hydrogen production. The study focuses on under progress four key SEZs, specifically Dhabeji in Sindh, Allama Iqbal Industrial City in Punjab, Rashakai in KPK, and Bostan in Balochistan. Estimating the techno-economic feasibility of various indigenous RE energy configurations, including solar, wind, hydro, and biomass. By optimizing energy mixes using RETScreen software and leveraging surplus renewable energy for hydrogen production, the research offers a comprehensive framework for sustainable industrial growth in Pakistan. The analysis reveals that hybrid energy systems, such as the 30%-70% solar-wind mix in Dhabeji, achieve a favorable Levelized Cost of Energy of 0.0421 USD/kWh, demonstrating the best balance between cost and reliability. Bostan’s withs its high irradiance value with fully solar configuration emerges as the most cost-effective option overall, with an LCOE of 0.0415 USD/kWh. For green hydrogen production, Dhabeji’s 70%-30% solar-wind mix yields a competitive Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) at $3.77 per kg, while Rashakai with cost of LCOE of 0.0461 USD/kwh a solar-hydro setup achieves the LCOH at $3.362 per kg, which is due to the surplus energy available all months of the year. The study further highlights that increasing system capacity by 10% significantly reduces hydrogen production costs across all SEZs. The findings reveal that the wind energy with least cost to generate and the solar with its lowest cost at higher irradiance area of Bostan. The research also revalues with increasing the such hybrid energy systems for the industrial centers results in economical green hydrogen production on site. The thesis concludes by providing strategic recommendations for optimizing energy policies, financial incentives, and technology integration, offering practical insights for policymakers, investors, and industrial stakeholders. These outcomes contribute to Pakistan’s broader energy transition objectives, positioning its SEZs as models of low-carbon, resilient industrial zones.