Water Use and Quality for Green Hydrogen Production

Clean hydrogen has emerged as a viable alternative in the fight against climate change. Indeed, its usage will be extended from conventional applications such as steelmaking and chemical production to energy storage, heavy-duty transport, shipping, and even aviation. Yet, green hydrogen production technologies based on electrolysis require renewable electricity and water as input. Water is needed not only for production but also for cooling. The paradox is that more than 35% of the production capacity of clean hydrogen is located in regions facing water scarcity.

In this presentation, we will briefly review the different technologies based on water electrolysis for hydrogen production, and then assess the quantity of water withdrawal and consumption required for production and cooling systems. We will focus on the quality of water required for sustainable production and discuss the effects of different impurities on electrolyzer components. The seminar will also address the use of seawater as a feedstock for hydrogen production and its environmental and economic implications.