Improving Power System Reliability Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell–Integrated D-FACTS for Power Quality Enhancement

Abstract

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources, proliferation of power electronic converters, and growth of dynamic loads are intensifying power quality challenges and reliability constraints in modern power systems. Conventional compensation and control solutions are often insufficient to address both fast-electrical disturbances and long-duration energy support requirements. This paper investigates the integration of hydrogen fuel cells with Distributed Flexible AC Transmission System (D-FACTS) devices as an advanced and sustainable approach to enhancing power system reliability and mitigating power quality issues. A comprehensive conceptual framework is developed to describe the system architecture, operational principles, and energy flow coordination of hydrogen fuel cell–integrated D-FACTS in contemporary power networks. Critical power quality problems, including voltage sags and swells, harmonic distortion, flicker, unbalance, and transient disturbances, are analyzed in the context of high renewable energy penetration and dynamic load behavior. The study further examines detailed modeling and control strategies, emphasizing real-time, adaptive, and intelligent controllers for coordinated voltage regulation, power flow control, and harmonic mitigation under steady-state and dynamic operating conditions. Performance evaluation based on simulation-based and experimental case studies demonstrates significant improvements in voltage profiles, harmonic reduction, loss minimization, dynamic response, reliability indices, and system resilience during contingencies. Finally, techno-economic and environmental assessments highlight the potential of hydrogen fuel cell–integrated D-FACTS solutions to deliver cost-effective, low-carbon, and scalable grid support, while identifying key deployment challenges and future research directions. The results confirm that the proposed integrated approach offers a promising pathway toward reliable, resilient, and sustainable next-generation power systems.