Physico-Chemical Factors and Carbon Footprint in Hydrogen Production from Water and Hydrocarbons
Keywords:
hydrogen production, low-carbon hydrogen, renewable hydrogen, carbon footprintAbstract
The efficiency and competitiveness of hydrogen production technologies are primarily influenced by physico-chemical factors. Water usage is a critical consideration, as it serves as a primary source of hydrogen in most production methods. This paper examines water consumption across various hydrogen production technologies, drawing from both published research and data from operational facilities. Water consumption levels vary based on the quality of the source water, and this should be factored into hydrogen projects to minimize environmental impact. A case study on industrial hydrogen production via steam reforming highlights that 48.88% of the hydrogen is derived from water. Additionally, carbon footprint metrics, which account for greenhouse gas emissions throughout the production process, are becoming increasingly significant. For instance, hydrogen produced through steam reforming emits about 10.03 kg CO2-equivalent per kilogram of hydrogen, while hydrogen from water produces 4.2-4.5 kg CO2-equivalent/kg H2, and hydrogen from methane results in 15.4-15.7 kg CO2-equivalent/kg H2. Thus, nearly half of the hydrogen obtained via steam reforming can be classified as "low-carbon" or "renewable" hydrogen. To make informed decisions, an accurate evaluation of energy and water consumption, supported by system analysis, is essential as hydrogen production expands globally. This growth is expected to place increasing pressure on global water resources and the water cycle.
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