Hydrogen Plant Water Usage Risks Grow in Europe
A new report quantifies the freshwater impact of scaling hydrogen production to meet the EU's 2030 and 2050 output targets.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Energy
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The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has released a new study assessing the water demands of Europe's growing hydrogen sector. The analysis examines how scaling up electrolysis to meet REPowerEU targets will impact local freshwater resources by 2050.
Why it matters
As Europe scales hydrogen production, the industry must balance its heavy reliance on electricity with the rising pressure on freshwater supplies. This research identifies potential regional water risks that could complicate long-term sustainability goals.
Electrolysis consumes 18 to 22 litres of water for every kilogram of hydrogen generated. While 93 percent of the 404 operating plants currently sit in low water abstraction basins, this usage intensity remains a key site selection variable compared to renewable energy costs.
The players
Joint Research Centre
The European Commission's internal science and knowledge service that provides independent evidence for policy development.
World Resources Institute
A global research organization that provides the Aqueduct 4.0 dataset to map and analyze water risk and scarcity.
The details
The Joint Research Centre used the Water Exploitation Index to measure abstraction against renewable water availability, cross-referencing these findings with the World Resources Institute Aqueduct 4.0 water stress dataset. Electrolyzers are devices that use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The study evaluates the cumulative impact of these systems as the total number of assets grows toward an expected 1,162 by 2030, highlighting that water availability currently ranks sixth in importance for developers compared to energy access.
Timeline
2023: 93 percent of 404 operating hydrogen plants were located in low water abstraction basins.
2030: The number of hydrogen assets is expected to reach 1,162.
2050: Production targets are projected to reach 67.5 million tonnes.
The Tech Race
This research provides a technical baseline for the EU's 10 million tonne hydrogen production goal by 2030. It marks a departure from purely energy-centric planning by incorporating long-term hydrological stress projections into the broader industrial roadmap.
Site selection for new hydrogen assets will likely face stricter regulatory scrutiny in regions like Greece, Spain, Italy, and Portugal due to projected water stress. Developers and policymakers must reconcile these resource demands with permit requirements that currently vary by national authority.
The takeaway
Future hydrogen scaling depends on managing water scarcity as closely as renewable energy supply. Stakeholders should monitor updated climate-risk assessments for Mediterranean and central European basins as production approaches the 2050 target of 67.5 million tonnes.
Further reading
Learn more about the infrastructure behind the continent's transition in our Energy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Smart Water Magazine.
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