[ water treatment ]
Hydrogen from seawater : challenges and solutions
We live on the Blue Planet , but even here freshwater is a scarce resource . For water-intensive industries looking for sustainable water use , the dream is therefore to tap into the ocean and utilize the vast amount of seawater . In this article , the use of seawater for green hydrogen production is examined with a focus on the initial desalination step in the process towards ultrapure water . Key considerations and technical aspects are explored by answering essential questions like : Is seawater a viable source of water for green hydrogen ? What are the water treatment issues when using seawater for green hydrogen ? And should you opt for membranebased reverse osmosis or thermal evaporation ?
By Henrik Tækker Madsen , Application Development Manager , Silhorko-Eurowater – A Grundfos Company , and Ozan Yucel , Business Development Manager , Meco – A Grundfos Company
Why seawater may be the future of green hydrogen
Only 2 % of all water in the world is freshwater , most of which is either locked away in glaciers at the poles or stored deep underground . This means that only a tiny fraction , 0.3 % of the freshwater , is found in rivers and lakes . Currently , most realized green hydrogen projects are small in scale and therefore rely on drinking water or process water available onsite . However , as projects increase in size , this will probably not be a viable solution . Several factors could drive the use of seawater :
20 Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 16 | June 2024