As part of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection (EXI), NOW GmbH is publishing a new factsheet on water use in decentralised energy systems with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
In the production of hydrogen, water is split into its components hydrogen and oxygen with the help of electricity. For the hydrogen produced to be considered green, the electricity used must come from renewable energy sources. But it is not only the electricity that is crucial: The water used in the process must also be considered in terms of sustainability – especially in regions of the world that suffer from water scarcity or have inadequate water infrastructure. A new factsheet from NOW GmbH therefore highlights the water use in decentralised energy systems with hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.
Focus on the relationship between energy, hydrogen and water
The factsheet examines the relationships between energy, hydrogen and water in decentralised energy systems. It addresses the question of water use and consumption in such systems and explains the principle of the water footprint. It also contains an initial set of empirical data on water use from a pilot project funded by EXI on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV – Bundsministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz). Among other things, the factsheet shows that water resources can be used particularly sparingly when electrolysis, hydrogen storage and reconversion using fuel cell technology are linked locally.
Download the factsheet
The (German language) factsheet can be downloaded free of charge as an accessible PDF file here:
About EXI
Since 2016, the BMUV has supported German GreenTech SMEs in disseminating innovative environmental technologies ‘Made in Germany’ through its funding programme, EXI. The goal is to create optimised environmental conditions for sustainable development and better environmental and living conditions in the target countries. By supporting appropriate infrastructure, the EXI projects contribute to implementing green public services and environmentally-friendly services globally. NOW GmbH is responsible for EXI’s focus on green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in decentralised energy supply since 2021. As the EXI project management organisation, Zukunft – Umwelt – Gesellschaft (ZUG) gGmbH (Future – Environment – Society) has supported the Federal Environment Ministry in carrying out its tasks since 2022. More information on EXI can be found here.
About NOW GmbH
Since 2008, NOW GmbH has been supporting the federal government’s targets in its climate and industrial policy. The tasks of the federally-owned company include developing, monitoring and evaluating funding programmes about climate-neutral mobility and energy supply. NOW GmbH experts supervise projects in the areas of hydrogen, fuel cells, battery and renewable fuels. They reimagine mobility and fuels for cars, buses, trains, commercial vehicles, ships and airplanes, and support the establishment and further development of charging infrastructure and hydrogen refuelling stations for cars and trucks. More information on NOW can be found here.