Saud Al-Shikh

Mr. Saud Al-Shikh

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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19 February 2025 in Sustainability
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SASaud Al-Shikh
Saud Al-Shikh
Essam A. Al-AmmarEssam A. Al-Ammar
Essam A. Al-Ammar
AAAbdullah S. Alomari
Abdullah S. Alomari
The global push for clean hydrogen production has identified nuclear energy, particularly high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), as a promising solution due to their ability to provide high-temperature heat. This study conducted a techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production in Saudi Arabia using the pebble bed modular reactor (HTR-PM), focusing on two methods: high-temperature steam electrolysis (HTSE) and the sulfur–iodine (SI) thermochemical cycle. The Hydrogen Economic Evaluation Program (HEEP) was used to assess the economic viability of both methods, considering key production factors such as the discount rate, nuclear power plant (NPP) capital cost, and hydrogen plant efficiency. The results show that the SI cycle achieves a lower levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) at USD 1.22/kg H2 compared to HTSE at USD 1.47/kg H2, primarily due to higher thermal efficiency. Nonetheless, HTSE offers simpler system integration. Sensitivity analysis reveals that variations in the discount rate and NPP capital costs significantly impact both production methods, while hydrogen plant efficiency is crucial in determining overall economics. The findings contribute to the broader discourse on sustainable hydrogen production technologies by highlighting the potential of nuclear-driven methods to meet global decarbonization goals. The paper concludes that the HTR-PM offers a viable pathway for large-scale hydrogen production in Saudi Arabia, aligning with the Vision 2030 objectives.

21 July 2024
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
PDF file
SASaud Al-Shikh
Saud Al-Shikh
SSSaud Al Shikh
Saud Al Shikh
EBEssam Bafaraj
Essam Bafaraj
ATAbdulrahman Al Tayeb
Abdulrahman Al Tayeb

21 July 2024
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
PDF file
SASaud Al-Shikh
Saud Al-Shikh
EAEssam A. Al-Ammar
Essam A. Al-Ammar
AAAbdullah S. Alomari
Abdullah S. Alomari