To address the challenges of the energy transition, industry needs new solutions capable of minimising investment risk. Against this backdrop, engineering and technology group Sener has successfully completed the development of SenHy, an advanced digital platform designed to simulate and optimise green hydrogen production plants. The project was carried out with the support of technology centre Tekniker, a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA).

The new tool is designed to identify the most efficient design configurations and the best operating strategies, ensuring maximum profitability and viability for facilities faced with the complexity of integrating variable renewable energy sources.

The development of this digital tool forms part of an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI), an initiative intended to act as a key accelerator of the energy transition and contribute to the European Union’s industrial decarbonisation goals.

From an economic perspective, SenHy has a direct impact on the financial viability of new developments by focusing on comprehensive cost reduction: it minimises the initial investment, optimises operating expenditure and, most importantly, reduces the levelised cost of hydrogen production. This makes it possible to optimise plant business models and maximise profitability, while helping to enable the large-scale deployment of this clean energy source by reducing investment risk.

Challenges in enhancing existing tools

SenHy addresses the limitations of the tools currently available on the market and acts as a digital twin capable of assessing multiple scenarios with an unprecedented level of detail, simultaneously simulating more than 200 interrelated parameters.

One of the platform’s main advantages is its flexibility. The system can integrate and combine different electrolysis technologies, such as PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) and alkaline electrolysis, within a single hybrid plant. Developed through the joint work of Sener and Tekniker, this capability overcomes the limitations of current market alternatives, which tend to specialise in a single technology.

Drawing on Sener’s experience in developing digital solutions for the energy sector, SenHy incorporates a multiphysics optimisation algorithm capable of assessing multiple operating scenarios and optimising key indicators such as production cost, investment and operating strategy. This capability is complemented by an advanced Power Management System (PMS) developed by Tekniker, which automatically dispatches production commands and adapts operations to the availability of renewable energy at any given time. Sener has integrated both capabilities into a single platform, making it possible to optimise both facility design and real-time operation.