Hydrogen has emerged as a key focal point in the global energy transition. From policy road maps in Europe and Australia to financial incentives in the U.S. (i.e., the Inflation Reduction Act), governments on every continent are dedicating resources to the nascent sector. With several thousand projects and hydrogen hubs in various stages of development, the hydrogen economy’s growth relies on one key raw material input: water.
Bluefield’s US$26.3 billion water management global forecast (i.e., CAPEX, OPEX) between 2024–2030 points to the potential scale of water management over the next decade. The implications for water infrastructure, utility operations, and water resources will be significant without more holistic approaches. Water services and solutions providers need to anticipate these shifts, thereby giving hydrogen an opportunity to reinforce solutions providers’ role in shaping sustainable communities.
This Insight Report and accompanying data dashboard highlight key trends, drivers, markets, water demands, globally, and management strategies for a hydrogen economy.
Table of Contents
Section 1 – Targeted Policies Kick-Start Hydrogen Economy
- Critical Industrial Policies and Subsidies Boost Green Hydrogen
- National Hydrogen Road Maps
Section 2 – Scaling Project Pipeline Demonstrates Promise
- Breadth of Hydrogen Applications Presents Long-Term Growth Opportunities
- Gray Hydrogen Is the Starting Point for the Hydrogen Economy
- U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Hub Projects to Watch
- Australia’s Hydrogen Hubs Programs to Watch
- Europe’s Hydrogen Industrial Clusters to Watch
- Breaking Down the Project Pipeline
- Import-Export Strategies Influence Countries’ Hydrogen Outlooks
- Emerging Hydrogen Applications by Key Geographies
- Estimated Timelines for Commercialization of Hydrogen
Section 3 – Hydrogen’s Water Demand Presents Risks & Rewards
- Water’s Role in Green Hydrogen Electrolysis Production
- Comparing Green Hydrogen’s Water Footprint to Generation Sources
- Opportunities for Water Providers
- Water Supply – Review of Opportunities
- Municipal Wastewater Reuse Project Case Study: PlugPower Mendota Plant
- Colocation Project Case Study: Yarra Valley Water Hydrogen Facility
- Desalination Project Case Study: Saudi Arabia NEOM Project
- Containerized Reuse Case Study: Air Products California Plant
- Demonstrated Water Management Approaches by Project
- The Hydrogen Value Chain
Section 4 – Water Management Global Forecasts
- Hydrogen Project Development Timeline
- Water Usage Scenarios
- Regional Water Demand from Hydrogen Projects
- Planned Green Hydrogen Projects By Water Stress Scores
- Green Hydrogen Water Management Total Addressable Market
- Water for Hydrogen CAPEX / OPEX Breakdown
