Is there enough water for green hydrogen?
Yes
A recent article in Reuters argued the lack of water could threaten the shift to hydrogen. That article specifically started with the example of the recent cancelation of a green hydrogen project in Australia due to a lack of water.
Do the concerns make sense? Can the lack of water kill the shift to hydrogen?
Concerns about water availability make sense. In several regions of the world, climate change lowers average rain patterns. This year’s summer draught in Europe and California of 20 years mega draught show how blatant the water crisis can get.
However, how much water does the shift to hydrogen needs? Does the article make sense?
Future Hydrogen water needs
First, how many Kg of water do you need to get 1 Kg of hydrogen?
Water couples two hydrogen atoms with one oxygen. But hydrogen, as the first element in the periodic table hydrogen, has the lowest mass. Oxygen sits at number eight on the periodic table with a much larger mass.
Doing the stoichiometry calculations, 1 Kg of hydrogen requires 9 Kg of water.
But the water needs do not stop there. Water electrolysis generates heat, which requires more water as a cooling fluid. Estimates give a…
