Evaluating the Economic Influence of Water Sources on Green Hydrogen Production: A Cost Analysis Approach

The production of green hydrogen requires significant water usage, making the economic evaluation of different water sources crucial for optimizing the Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH). This study examines the economic impact of using seawater, groundwater, grid water, industrial wastewater, and rainwater for hydrogen production through PEM electrolysis considering the water abstraction, transport, treatment, and storage costs across various plant sizes (1 MW, 10 MW, 20 MW, 50 MW, and 100 MW) were assessed and a sensitivity analysis on electricity prices was conducted. Findings reveal that while water-related costs are minimal.