Study says green hydrogen for Europe may strain north Africa's water
A materials and environmental science researcher and co-author Mustafa Gazi modelled a 1-gigawatt green hydrogen plant in a hot, dry climate. They found it needs far more water than the industry claims.
The model counts water for making hydrogen, treating supplies and cooling equipment. It puts use at 35 to 170 litres per kilogram of hydrogen, against the industry claim of about nine litres. The authors say desalination would release salty, chemical-laden wastewater that could harm marine life, and that old groundwater could run out. They write about Morocco, Algeria and Egypt, which want to supply Europe. This is a modelling study, so its results depend on its assumptions.