The
energy transition toward net-zero emissions changes how we use water but does
not necessarily reduce our dependence on it. Even low-carbon technologies like
hydrogen, renewable fuels, batteries, pumped storage hydropower, nuclear, and
carbon capture have unique water needs. And a lot of the time, those needs
require a lot of water.
اضافة اعلان
As a
result of the global energy transition, new players and potential partners have
emerged. Renewable supermajors are progressing towards large-scale hydrogen,
energy storage, and water asset ownership, which could reshape the water
industry landscape.
Green
hydrogen, in particular, could play a crucial role in the green transition,
with the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimating that it could avoid up to
60 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions to meet our net-zero goals. However, the
estimated 3,585,000 megawatts of electrolyzer capacity required by 2050 will
need roughly 18 million tpd of water or 7,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools
daily.
The world is facing an imminent water crisis, with demand expected to outstrip fresh water supply by 40 percent by the end of this decade.
According
to Water UK's Net Zero 2030 Roadmap, if hydrogen emerges as an alternative fuel
for power and transportation, water demand could increase by 15 percent to 20
percent. While any uptick in demand should financially benefit water utility
coffers, it could also stress existing water infrastructure and drive up the
need for additional infrastructure investments in new capacity.
Water
stewardship is critical to the viability of industrial projects, and it is
becoming even more important amid the energy transition. Understanding the
dynamic and complex relationship between water and energy is crucial,
especially in the context of the energy transition. The new perspectives of the
water–energy nexus, water-for-energy, and energy-for-water emphasize the need
to find ways to produce as much energy with as little water as possible and
obtain as much water with as little energy as possible to promote and implement
sustainable development.
The world
is facing an imminent water crisis, with demand expected to outstrip fresh
water supply by 40 percent by the end of this decade. About 2 billion people
worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water today, and roughly half of
the world's population is experiencing severe water scarcity for at least part
of the year. These numbers are expected to increase, exacerbated by climate change
and population growth.
Water and wastewater utilities must adapt to a future built on clean energy.
Under
current trends, the water shortage is forcing governments to spend $200 billion
annually on upstream water supply as demand outstrips cheaper supply forms — up
from historical averages of $40 to $45 billion.
Hydrogen
production also produces wastewater because of the purity level required by
electrolyzers, which creates a saline effluent containing all the salinity from
the water supply in a smaller wastewater stream.
Low-carbon
hydrogen is integral to the energy transition, and water is critical for
hydrogen projects. So, water and wastewater management must be considered in
hydrogen production.
Suppliers
of energy, chemicals, and resources will also need billions more liters of
fresh water and new ways to reuse the water to operate the water-dependent
projects required to meet their decarbonization goals. Every water-intensive
industrial business must rethink its relationship with our planet's most
precious resource.
Alternative
water supplies through reclaiming wastewater and desalination, particularly in
coastal environments, should be at the forefront of utility (and power
developer) strategies. Water reuse, a lower cost, and resilient water supply at
$0.66 to $1.62 per meter cubed could bridge the gap between producers and
off-takers.
Water and wastewater utilities
must adapt to a future built on clean energy. The potential economic benefits
could also accelerate project financing for capital-intensive municipal and
private water projects that often slow down project development. Their historic
energy paradigm has led to design and operation practices incompatible with the
changing energy market.
It is for this reason that water utilities need to
anticipate the needs, get up on the learning curve, and leverage hydrogen as a
chance to strengthen their role in guiding smarter cities and communities.
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