Abstract:
The transition to a low-carbon economy has placed green hydrogen, or e-hydrogen, at the forefront of sustainable
energy solutions. While e-hydrogen has the potential to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as transportation
and heavy industry, its economic viability remains a challenge due to high production costs. This study presents a
techno-economic optimization framework for e-hydrogen production in Saudi Arabia, leveraging the country’s
abundant solar and wind resources. A Python-based Green Hydrogen Cost Optimizer App was developed using
Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) to minimize the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) while integrating
renewable energy, energy storage, and electrolysis systems. The model was applied to three key locations—Duba,
Yanbu, and Jubail—to assess cost-competitiveness under varying renewable energy conditions. Results indicate
that strategic site selection, technology integration, and economies of scale can significantly reduce LCOH,
enhancing Saudi Arabia’s role in the global hydrogen economy. The findings contribute to optimizing renewable
hydrogen production, supporting policy decisions and investment strategies for sustainable energy development.

Bio:
Monserrat Echegoyen is an interdisciplinary engineer and researcher with a strong foundation in industrial and
mechanical engineering, sustainability, and environmental science. She holds a double major in Industrial and
Mechanical Engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and is currently pursuing a
Master of Science in Environmental Science and Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
(KAUST).
Her research at KAUST, under the Clean Combustion Research Center, with Professor Mani Sarathy as her PI,
focuses on the techno-economic analysis of green hydrogen production. As part of her master's thesis, she
developed a Python-based Green Hydrogen Cost Optimizer App, leveraging Mixed Integer Linear Programming
(MILP) to assess project viability across key locations in Saudi Arabia.