Enhancing solar irradiance forecasting for hydrogen production: The MEMD-ALO-BiLSTM hybrid machine learning model.

• Introducing MEMD-ALO-BiLSTM, a hybrid model for precise solar irradiance forecasting to boost hydrogen production. • Achieving a 0.99 coefficient of determination across seasons in Jiangsu Province, China, outperforming traditional models. • Optimizing photovoltaic systems and hydrogen production, supporting the transition to sustainable energy sources. • Validating the model's application in a residential energy system, demonstrating its practicality for renewable energy integration. • Enabling peak solar-powered hydrogen generation, marking a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions. This study focuses on an innovative hybrid machine-learning model for solar irradiance forecasting, targeting the integration of solar power into hydrogen production systems. Addressing the urgent need for sustainable energy transitions, the paper introduces the MEMD-ALO-BiLSTM model, designed to enhance solar irradiance prediction accuracy. This model uniquely combines Multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition (MEMD), Ant Lion Optimizer (ALO), and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) techniques, setting a new benchmark in forecast precision across various seasonal datasets from Jiangsu Province, China. Demonstrating superior performance to traditional models, it achieves an exceptional coefficient of determination, averaging 0.99 for all seasons. Additionally, to prove the efficiency of the model three statistical tests were used, namely Wilcoxon, Friedman, and P-value. The research highlights the model's potential in optimizing photovoltaic systems and hydrogen production, thus contributing to carbon dioxide emission mitigation. Through comprehensive simulations of a residential system encompassing photovoltaic cells, compressors, and electrolyzers, the study underscores the practical feasibility and significant advancements the MEMD-ALO-BiLSTM model offers in the renewable energy sector, promoting a shift toward more reliable and efficient solar-powered hydrogen generation systems. Accordingly, the day-ahead values of photovoltaic-generated power and hydrogen production through the electrolyzer reached peak values at 1:00PM with approximately 75 kW and 1.4 kg, respectively. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]