Water

within the

energy transition

In Brandenburg, a state in Germany characterized by its vast landscapes and an industrial history, a new era of energy generation is emerging: the conversion of electricity generation from lignite to renewable energy sources.

Why?

Global uncertainty: Domestic hydrogen will be an important building block for a crisis-resilient energy supply. With increasing geopolitical tensions, a sovereign national energy system is becoming ever more important.

Energy transition: A strong energy transition is needed to achieve climate protection targets. With domestic hydrogen, we can replace coal, gas and oil and also store surplus renewable electricity. This is particularly important during the summer months when the wind blows and the sun shines, generating a large amount of energy.

Water: The global water crisis is real. Compared to fossil fuels such as lignite, the production and use of hydrogen requires much less water. This conserves resources in Brandenburg and worldwide.

Structural change: Thanks to domestic hydrogen production, industries such as steel production or the chemical industry can become CO2-free or emit very low amounts of CO2. Meanwhile, the corresponding locations can remain internationally competitive.

Ok, but what actually is hydrogen?

Hydrogen is a universal energy carrier. In the future, it will be produced primarily through a process called electrolysis. In this process, water is split into its basic elements - hydrogen and oxygen. The energy for this process is supplied by (renewable) electricity. It does not produce any harmful greenhouse gas emissions, only pure oxygen. Both the oxygen and the waste heat produced by larger facilities can be utilized by various industries and sectors. However, there is one question that many people often ask themselves:

If hydrogen production requires water, is this a good idea in water-scarce areas like Brandenburg?

Water forms the basis of green hydrogen production. This is not unusual as all conventional energy sources require enormous quantities of water during their extraction, production and use. The link between water and energy therefore is inseparable and complex. This is problematic, as water scarcity threatens to exacerbate conflicts worldwide and undermine energy security, even in the present day.

Water stress is evident in Germany and Brandenburg. This is often due to prolonged periods of drought and rising temperatures, evident impacts of climate change. At the same time, lignite mining in Brandenburg has had a lasting negative impact on groundwater bodies for over a century. Several groundwater reservoirs are extremely overexploited in the area.

Is there enough water in Brandenburg to produce hydrogen?

Yes, there is enough water in Brandenburg to produce hydrogen. Overall, the share of water used in potential hydrogen production would represent a very small fraction of the region's total water usage, ranging from 1% to 6%. Larger industrial sites already consume a significantly higher amount of water in their activities.