Researchers in Australia are set to work with utilities and investigate using waste water in hydrogen production in a bid to boost its sustainability and maximize resources.
The project will see a team from Monash University in Melbourne work with four companies through Water Research Australia: Yarra Valley Water, Melbourne Water, Southeast Water, and Water Corporation.
Described by the International Energy Agency as a “versatile energy carrier,” hydrogen has a diverse range of applications and can be deployed in sectors such as industry and transport.
It can be produced in a number of ways. One method includes using electrolysis, with an electric current splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. If the electricity used in this process comes from a renewable source, such as wind or solar, then some call it “green” or “renewable” hydrogen.
In an announcement dated 27 August, Water Research Australia said the project would aim to “address the challenge of water scarcity in the process of hydrogen production.”
This would be done through “developing an innovative approach which repurposes used water as the feed for hydrogen production via water electrolysis.”
Among those commenting on the project was Xiwang Zhang, a chemical engineering professor at Monash University.
“The amount of wastewater currently available for use is far more than the amount of water required in water electrolysis for hydrogen production,” he said.