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Germany’s Hydrogen Expansion: Mapping Production Sites & Water Usage

Germany is making significant strides in hydrogen production, with Fraunhofer UMSICHT developing a map that connects planned hydrogen production sites with the dryness index to assess the impact of water availability. This initiative is crucial as hydrogen production, particularly green hydrogen, requires substantial water resources.

Hydrogen Production & Water Consumption

Producing deionized water for electrolysis demands:

• 1.2–1.3 liters of surface water per liter of deionized water
• 1.5–1.6 liters of brackish water
• 2–3 liters of seawater

For Germany’s Hydrogen Goals:

• By 2030 (10 GW capacity), 9 million tons of surface water will be needed.
• By 2050 (70 GW capacity), this rises to 63 million tons of water.

Germany’s Hydrogen Roadmap

Currently, 93 hydrogen projects are in various planning phases across Germany. If all mapped onshore hydrogen hubs are fully realized, they would generate 1.83 GW of hydrogen output. However, this falls short of Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy targets:

• 10 GW by 2030
• 70 GW by 2050

Challenges & Future Outlook

While hydrogen is a key pillar of Germany’s energy transition, water resource management remains a critical factor. The integration of seawater desalination, water recycling, and efficient electrolysis technologies will be necessary to meet production goals without straining freshwater supplies.

Fraunhofer’s mapping initiative provides valuable insights into the feasibility of hydrogen expansion while ensuring sustainable water use. As Germany ramps up hydrogen production, the alignment of infrastructure, policy, and resource management will be key to achieving its ambitious targets.