Water for Hydrogen Production report by IRENA

December 2023

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has released a comprehensive report titled ‘Water for hydrogen production’, co-authored by Bluerisk. This report provides an in-depth analysis of water withdrawal and consumption intensities across various hydrogen production pathways, highlighting greenhydrogen as the most water-efficient clean hydrogen production technology.

The findings are based on extensive interviews with industry experts and thorough literature reviews. The report also explores the projected increase in global hydrogen production and its implications for freshwater withdrawal, emphasising the importance of integrating water considerations into energy planning.

A report on the water implications of hydrogen production and answers the following questions.

  • How much water does a hydrogen plant actually consume?
  • What will be the global impact of clean hydrogen?
  • What about the local impact? More than 35% of the world's green and blue hydrogen production capacity (operational and planned) is located in regions with severe water scarcity. what will be its local impact.

Discover the full report here