Spain focuses heavily on the projects of hydrogen, but it faces a strong threat: water scarcity. 46% of the proposals on the table could be affected by this problem. Water vulnerability is not a minor complication and has become a major challenge for its deployment hydrogen. According to the warning of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irene) in your report Water for hydrogen productionmore than 46% of the projects hydrogen green and blue operational and planned for 2040 Spain They occur in areas with great water scarcity.
This information would lead to several projects Spain to interruption or even cancellation due to lack of access to water. An important part of these types of initiatives Europe They are located in areas with a high interest in water, exposing them to a water crisis and a tightening of local regulations on its use.
Various investors hydrogen green have searched for locations with the best solar and wind energy sources. Let’s not forget that the energy source used in most energy projects hydrogen green is the sun. This decision is in response to the drive to reduce electricity costs and maximize capacity factors. In short: they are profitable plans.
«However, the sunniest places are usually also the driest. A significant part of the planned electrolyzer capacity will be located in water-scarce regions, in countries such as Australia, Chile, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia j Spain“, says the report Irene.
Hydrogen projects in Spain would face their worst enemy
40% of these infrastructures Spain They are planned in areas with high hybrid stress levels. The next twenty years were planned to develop new energy sources, but what started as a laudable goal could end up being a nightmare for investors. About 6% of these regions have a high level, 31% have a medium level, 11% have a low to medium level and the remaining 11% have a low probability.
“Among the top ten countries with the most operational and planned projects, Portugal e Italy “They have the highest percentages of plants in areas with high or extremely high water stress, at 71% and 69% respectively,” said the analysis, which warns of strong competition for water in other sectors.
This is the real water situation in Europe
The production of hydrogen annual Europe amounts to 7.5 million tons. Almost everything matches hydrogen gray that comes from steam methane reforming (SMR) without carbon capture and storage (CCS). By 2040, this gray production will have been phased out or upgraded with CCS. The forecast is that the annual production of Europe in 2040, 25.7 million tonnes (Mt) in a 1.5 degree scenario, of which 8.6 Mt hydrogen vegetable. This data would represent more than 72% of the total.
“To improve the current production of hydrogen in Europe More than 150 million cubic meters of fresh water and 132 million cubic meters of consumption are needed,” they contribute. Irene. In the years up to 2040 “while the production of hydrogen increases by approximately 243%, the sector’s total water extraction and consumption could increase by 419% and 334% respectively.”
“It is important to encourage the use of seawater for seawater production hydrogen and cooling processes, while limiting thermal pollution and managing the brine. Policymakers can accelerate the process by setting clear deadlines for decommissioning plants while strengthening support for green hydrogen through financing, incentives and a favorable regulatory framework,” they conclude.