Abstract
Green hydrogen constitutes a strategic energy vector for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 9, 12, and 13) due to its high energy density, flexibility for renewable energy storage, and direct emission-free operation. However, its production critically depends on the supply of high-purity water, which is unsustainable in the context of a projected 40% global water deficit by 2030. Given that more than 97% of available water is saline, integrating desalination processes with electrolysis constitutes an essential strategy for transitioning toward circular economy models in water resource management. This work presents the conceptual design, detailed modeling, and optimization of an integrated process for the sustainable production of green hydrogen from saline water. The system couples a desalination technology (Solar Distillation) with two electrolysis technologies (AEL and SOEC), modeled through physicochemical, electrochemical, and thermodynamic principles. The objective is to determine technological configurations, materials, and operating conditions that maximize the energy efficiency and minimize the LCOH, contributing to the development of viable routes within the energy transition and circular economy. The results shows that the viability of a integrated Seawater Green Hydrogen system with a detail model is possible. In contrast to black-box models, this model yielded a detailed, geometrically accurate simulation that captures phenomenological effects. It enables the development of processes that contribute to the energy transition, reduce freshwater consumption, and assess their economic viability. The sensitivity analysis revealed promising solutions, with LCOH values ranging from 4.22 to 7.10 USD/kg and overall energy efficiencies between 67% and 82%.