Evaluación de la viabilidad tecnológica de la producción de energía eléctrica y gas hidrógeno con el potencial de energía solar fotovoltaica y agua sintética con la salinidad del mar respecto a cloruro de sodio para uso domiciliario en la isla de San Andrés

Abstract

San Andrés Island, as part of Colombia’s Non-Interconnected Zones (ZNI), faces serious limitations in access to essential public services, particularly electricity and natural gas. This situation affects most severely the population living in conditions of multidimensional poverty. This thesis evaluates the technological feasibility of producing electric power and hydrogen gas from photovoltaic solar systems and seawater, as a sustainable alternative for household use on the island. A diagnosis of the local energy conditions was carried out, revealing a strong dependence on diesel-based thermoelectric generation, high costs, and an energy mix with significant emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants, including carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), sulfur oxides (SOₓ), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter and unburned organic compounds. Based on the electric energy currently produced in San Andrés, the required photovoltaic solar energy to generate the same amount of electricity was estimated. For this purpose, two reference conditions were used: the month with the highest energy demand, august, and the month with the lowest solar radiation between 2005 and 2023, June. The potential sale of surplus electric power to other users through green hydrogen production by electrolysis was then considered. These surpluses were determined from the excess photovoltaic solar energy generated in the remaining months, relative to June, when solar radiation is lower. An experimental prototype was designed using synthetic water with a salinity, in terms of sodium chloride, similar to that of the sea surrounding San Andrés. In addition, an experimental design was implemented with the following independent variables: number of stainless-steel electrode pairs (1 and 2) and current intensity (2, 3 and 4 A). The dependent variable was the volume of hydrogen produced. The distance between electrodes was kept constant at 2 cm. The results show that hydrogen is generated more efficiently at lower currents and with two pairs of electrodes, fostering the development of cleaner energy solutions adapted to the island context. It is recommended to optimize the prototype, incorporate water recirculation systems, and assess by-product management to maximize the sustainability of the process.