Hydrogen-driven smart energy districts in hot climates: Coupling passive, active, and water synergies for net-zero carbon cities

Es-sakali, Niima , Laasri, Imad Ait , Er-retby, Houda , Mghazli, Mohamed Oualid

2026-03-15 ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT 2026   352(卷), null(期), (null页)

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Hot-climate cities face increasing challenges in achieving resilient pathways toward net-zero carbon emissions while ensuring thermal comfort, energy security, and resource efficiency. This study introduces a hydrogenintegrated net-zero energy district framework that couples passive building design strategies, active energy systems, and water reuse measures with a district-scale hydrogen energy hub. Using a developed open-source hydrogen simulation model (H2UrbanPlus), a newly planned district of 22 residential buildings is simulated under five design scenarios combining photovoltaics, passive shading, green roofs, and hydrogen-based storage. Results show that hydrogen plays a pivotal role in enabling seasonal balancing and resilience: district selfsufficiency rises by up to 85.6%, annual carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 159 tonnes annually, and the system achieves near-carbon neutrality. Techno-economic evaluation demonstrates that hydrogen integration, when coupled with urban passive and water-energy synergies, lowers the effective levelized cost of electricity and improves the net present value of district investments. By providing a first district-scale co-simulation of passive, active, hydrogen, and water-recovery systems in a semi-arid hot-climate context, this study delivers new quantitative evidence on the role of hydrogen-enabled energy hubs in supporting resilient, low-carbon, and self-sufficient urban districts, offering actionable insights for planners and policymakers shaping future net-zero and hydrogen-transition strategies.