The Columbia River Basin, home to the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS), is one of the largest hydropower-producing regions in North America. While the system generates reliable carbon-free electricity, it frequently experiences foregone hydrogeneration, which is excess water released due to a lack of immediate demand or storage capacity. Rather than curtailing this energy, it can be redirected to hydrogen electrolysis, transforming surplus power into a dispatchable energy carrier. This study evaluates the system-level feasibility of regional electrolytic hydrogen production from nine run-of-river hydropower plants within the FCRPS. To determine the most effective electrolysis technology for large-scale hydrogen production from these plants, this study also evaluates Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) and Alkaline Electrolysis (AEL) systems across several performance criteria (e.g., production, levelized cost, environmental benefits). Results indicate that AEL systems consistently produce more hydrogen than PEM systems across all plant locations, highlighting higher efficiency and lower degradation rates over time. However, PEM systems demonstrate greater operational flexibility, which is advantageous in scenarios where energy availability fluctuates. By leveraging a multi-criteria decision framework for hydrogen production, this work provides a basis for stakeholders to enhance energy resilience, reduce curtailment losses, and augment the transition to a low-carbon economy.
