U.S. Green Hydrogen Power Plants Eyed for Water-Stressed Areas

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As the federal government pours billions into hydrogen production to lower greenhouse gas emissions, critics worry water shortages in the Southwest could worsen.

Armed with bright green shovels, executives from the Australian mining giant Fortescue broke ground in May on a green hydrogen plant outside of Buckeye, Arizona, in an area the city calls the “Sustainable Valley.”

But this wind- and solar-powered plant in the Sonoran Desert will make hydrogen trucking fuel from a groundwater source that experts say is not sustainable. The 11,000 metric tons of hydrogen per year that the project plans to produce will require at least 26 million gallons — and use between 32 to 45 million gallons total if the additional water needed for purification and cooling is included, according to water usage estimates by the Argonne National Laboratory.

If the water needed to produce and operate the wind and solar power is included, and if the leftover water from all these processes is not pumped back into the surface or groundwater source, the plant could consume up to 319 million gallons, according to water withdrawal estimates published in the journal Renewable Energy. In either case, it will remove even more water from an aquifer that has been declining by 3 feet per year, mainly due to irrigation for alfalfa and other crops. A well just over a mile from the plant site has fallen 170 feet since 2000.

Compared to irrigation, the water supply needed by Fortescue “is not a lot,” said Sarah Porter, director of Arizona State University’s Kyl Center for Water Policy. “But if hydrogen is the next big thing … then it is important for the state to come up with policies, to have a policy discussion and certainly give consideration to whether we should require sustainable water supplies.”

Fortescue said in a statement it was committed to reducing water use but declined to say exactly how much the plant would consume.

“We are conducting a detailed hydrogeological assessment to more fully understand the aquifer and how to protect it and preserve water in this area,” the company said. “We are developing design efficiencies to limit overall water use, and we are seeking alternative water sources like wastewater to reduce groundwater use.”

The water use of Fortescue and other hydrogen projects, including a 3,650-ton plant in nearby Casa Grande, raises a potential issue with the green hydrogen buildout encouraged by tax breaks and direct funding under President Joe Biden’s two major climate laws — the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Out of 18 approved hydrogen production projects that will require significant freshwater, four are in areas of high or extremely high water stress, including the Buckeye-area plant, according to the World Resources Institute’s Water Risk Atlas. That designation compares water demand to available groundwater or surface water supply. While these 18 projects are already under construction or have a final investment decision, many other projects are being developed in water-stressed areas.

The seven regional hydrogen hubs selected by the Department of Energy for funding each of between $750 million and $1.2 billion include proposed projects in areas of high or extremely high water stress. Worldwide, most green hydrogen projects are located in water-stressed regions such as the Middle East.

Population growth and warmer temperatures will make the situation worse. By 2040, 39% of global hydrogen production will be in […]

Full article: cleantechnica.com