Booming Hydrogen Market Heralds Water Technology Opportunities
Jun 14, 2022
The hydrogen economy is at the start of a period of growth, with the size of the global market predicted to be as much as US$12 trillion by 2050, according to the latest research.
As part of global decarbonisation efforts, hydrogen is expected to emerge as an alternative fuel. Given water is the main feedstock for hydrogen production, the boom in the hydrogen market presents a range of opportunities for water and wastewater businesses, a report from BlueTech Research has found.
Particular growth is expected in terms of the number of green hydrogen projects, those where hydrogen is produced by water electrolysis powered by renewable energy. The size of plants is also expected to scale significantly in coming years.
The EU anticipates investment of up to €470 billion (US$557B) into hydrogen production and infrastructure by 2050, with annual capital expenditure of US$200 billion. In the period 2020-2030, the EU itself is expected to invest between €24-42 billion (US$29-50B) in electrolysers and €220-340B (US$260-400B) in scaling-up production and directly connecting 80-120GW of solar and wind energy capacity to the electrolysers.
However, the report notes that while there is a global agenda to push for green hydrogen, there are concerns about the amount of water and renewable energy needed.
Report author Kim Wu, a research analyst at BlueTech Research explains: “Water demand could be a concern for the large number of green hydrogen projects being planned, particularly for water utilities and councils, or in water-stressed areas as some hydrogen projects might expect to use tap water supplied by local utilities.
“Interestingly, water utilities have a unique role to play in the hydrogen economy. There are different pathways that water utilities can produce hydrogen at their wastewater facilities and benefit from implementing those processes.”
Conventionally, hydrogen has been produced via steam methane reforming (SMR) using natural gas as the feedstock. To date, 90% of hydrogen from methane or light hydrocarbons is produced from SMR and the hydrogen produced is mostly used as a chemical feedstock.
Wu said: “With companies and governments leading and actively pushing towards net zero carbon emissions, there is an ongoing shift in which hydrogen is now being considered as the clean energy carrier in addition to a chemical feedstock.”
Green hydrogen projects also rely on the availability of, and investment in, renewable energy infrastructure. Suitable hydrogen storage and transport facilities will also be needed which amount to significant investment costs, the report suggests.
BlueTech Research chief executive and founder Paul O’Callaghan summed up the findings of the report: “After years of research and development, anticipation and slow market growth, the hydrogen economy is beginning to take off, fuelled by the pressing global agenda to decarbonise.
“Our research highlights different opportunities for water and wastewater business in the growing hydrogen technological and economic landscape. A particular focus will be on green in green hydrogen production, in which hydrogen is produced by renewable energy through electrolysis.”
The full report Water and the Hydrogen Economy is available to BlueTech Research clients.
More News and Articles
May 17, 2024
News
Reverse engineering the insect brain
UK technology start-up Opteran is on a mission to transform the world of autonomy with advanced “natural intelligence” technology that mimics the brains of insects. Jon Excell reports.
Until now, most efforts …
May 14, 2024
News
InfoTiles to advance data-driven power generation solution
Norwegian digital analytics company, InfoTiles, known for its innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in water and wastewater management, is extending …
May 12, 2024
News
Labour pledge to tackle four key barriers in UK energy transition
Grid delays, planning delays, the ‘growing’ skills gap and supply chain problems will be rectified by the Labour party if it wins the next general election.
Speaking at Innovation …
May 10, 2024
News
A master in customised pipes
Australian Custom Pipes no longer needs an introduction. The independent, Australian-owned polyethylene pipe manufacturer has been making waves for more than 20 years.
The company’s quality polyethylene (PE) pipes …
May 08, 2024
News
Improving trenchless installations with Riteline
Riteline spacers have been successfully appraised by the Water Services Association of Australia, providing a new option for pipeline installations that complies with WSA PS-324 for casing spacers.
May 06, 2024
News
Redefining relining in Wodonga
In a step towards enhancing stormwater infrastructure, M. Tucker & Sons recently completed a challenging relining project for the Wodonga City Council.
The relining project, commissioned by the Wodonga City Council …
Apr 29, 2024
News
Minimising cultural impacts with trenchless
Through the benefits of trenchless technology, Yarra Valley Water is minimising impacts on the Upper Darebin Creek branch sewer project.
The project consists of building a 2.7km sewer pipe in Epping, …
Apr 26, 2024
News
Bothar’s cutting head innovation
The trenchless industry in Australia continues to grow and the need to provide customised solutions becomes vital for a leading subsurface contractor.
Recognising the need for advanced solutions to meet the growing …
Apr 24, 2024
News
Sustainable drainage solutions: German Start-up transforms urban water management.
Germany boasts a well-established infrastructure for managing rainwater and wastewater, yet many developing countries lack such systems. Addressing this gap, …
Apr 22, 2024
News
HDD tooling that gets the job done
Horizontal directional drilling is a dynamic process that constantly changes and adapts to suit a range of applications across utilities and infrastructure. Operators looking to get the most from their equipment …
Apr 19, 2024
News
WATCH: Overnight with SAERTEX-LINER H20 in São Paulo
Available through Pipe Core, high-quality liner SAERTEX-LINER H20 performed under pressure in São Paulo, Brazil.
Maintaining aging potable water pipe infrastructure is a constant challenge …
Apr 17, 2024
News
Immersive media provides wastewater experience in Denmark
An immersive media experience (IMX) may not be what most people want when they think about industrial wastewater, but that is exactly what visitors can expect when they visit a new installation …
Contact
BlueTech Research
32 Parnell Place, Parnell Street
T12 YR81 Cork
Ireland
Phone:
+353 1657 1634