The role of water in hydrogen production

19.12.2024

Source: E & M powernews

NOW GmbH sheds light on water consumption in hydrogen production, especially in regions with water scarcity, in a newly published factsheet.

In its new factsheet, the National Organization Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology - NOW GmbH for short - sheds light on the importance of water use in decentralized energy systems with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The paper was produced as part of the Export Initiative for Environmental Protection (EXI) and analyzes the interactions between energy, hydrogen and water in such systems. In particular, it looks at the water footprint, which plays a central role in the sustainable use of water resources.

Hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources through electrolysis is only considered "green" if the electricity used for this also comes from sustainable sources. However, according to NOW, the focus on sustainability should not be limited to the source of electricity: The water used in the process must also be considered in terms of its availability and use. This is particularly important in regions that suffer from water shortages or have inadequate water infrastructure.

With its factsheet, the organization, which has been advising the German government on hydrogen since 2008, aims to provide an overview of how water resources can be used efficiently in decentralized energy systems that integrate hydrogen technologies and fuel cells. A key finding of the analysis is that water resources can be used particularly sparingly if the systems for electrolysis, hydrogen storage and reconversion to electricity using fuel cell technology are linked locally. In such a system, the water requirement is optimized across various components, which significantly reduces the use of resources.

The paper also presents the results of a pilot project funded by the EXI initiative on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The pilot project has gathered practical experience on water use in decentralized energy systems and provides information on how such systems can be optimized. The resulting data should form a sound basis for future projects that also aim to use water resources sustainably.

The four-page factsheet "Water-Hydrogen Nexus: Water use in decentralized energy systems with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies" is available for download on the NOW website.

Author: Davina Spohn