The water needed for the UK’s decarbonisation infrastructure, including hydrogen and carbon capture, is likely to exceed the amount available, according to new research.
The report, commissioned by national water retailer Wave in collaboration with Durham University, looked at decarbonisation activities across England’s five largest industrial clusters – Humberside, North West England, Tees Valley, the Solent and the Black Country. It then analysed the impact that these activities would have on water resources in those areas.
It found that the high-water requirements for decarbonisation projects – such as blue and green hydrogen production and carbon capture – would mean that water scarcity is likely to pose a significant risk to both business growth and future decarbonisation efforts in these areas.
According to the research, the additional water requirements needed for these projects will place an additional demand for 860 million litres of water per day across the UK by 2050.
The UK...