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The chances of a global hydrogen economy becoming a reality have increased significantly since the COVID pandemic and the war in Ukraine, and for net zero carbon emissions. However, intercontinental hydrogen transport is still a major issue. This study suggests transporting hydrogen as a gas at atmospheric pressure in balloons using the natural flow of wind to carry the balloon to its destination. We investigate the average wind speeds, atmospheric pressure, and temperature at different altitudes for this purpose. The ideal altitudes to transport hydrogen with balloons are 10 km or lower, and hydrogen pressures in the balloon vary from 0.25 to 1 bar. Transporting hydrogen from North America to Europe at a maximum 4 km altitude would take around 4.8 days on average. Hydrogen balloon transportation cost is estimated at 0.08 USD/kg of hydrogen, which is around 12 times smaller than the cost of transporting liquified hydrogen from the USA to Europe. Due to its reduced energy consumption and capital cost, in some locations, hydrogen balloon transportation might be a viable option for shipping hydrogen compared to liquefied hydrogen and other transport technologies. [Display omitted] • A new approach to transporting hydrogen with balloons. • Possible paths for hydrogen balloon transportation. • Estimation of the optimum altitude to transport hydrogen in balloons. • The global potential for hydrogen balloon transportation is accessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global concern to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable sources has led Brazil to stand out as a promising nation in this context, with a large portion of its energy capacity coming from renewable sources. However, renewable sources have the disadvantage of intermittency and seasonality, which has prompted the search for solutions to these challenges. This study assesses the feasibility of integrating hydro and solar power with a Hydrogen-based Electrical Energy Storage System (H 2 EESS) at the Serra da Mesa hydroelectric Brazilian power plant. Hydrogen would be produced through water electrolysis, taking advantage of the available excess renewable energy, and subsequently converted back into electricity through fuel cells. The integration of hydro and solar power with H 2 EESS resulted in an increase of 11.10 % in the energy produced compared to conventional hydroelectric generation, with 36.06 % of this increase coming from H 2 EESS. Additionally, there was a 9.71 % increase in the utilization of substation capacity. These results highlight the feasibility and benefits of integrating hydro and solar power with H 2 EESS. This approach allows for maximizing renewable energy generation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and better utilizing available resources without the need for significant infrastructure investments. • Feasibility of integrating hydro and solar power with a hydrogen-based electrical energy storage system. • Case Study with real data from Serra da Mesa hydroelectric brazilian power plant. • The integration of hydro and solar power with Hydrogen resulted in an increase of 11.10 % in the energy produced compared to conventional hydroelectric generation. • There was a 9.71 % increase in the utilization of substation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]