水足迹视角下黄河流域可再生能源制氢节水潜力研究

doi:10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2025.066

Abstract

Abstract:

Quantifying and assessing the water footprint and water-saving intensity of hydrogen production from renewable energy are essential for the sustainable development of the hydrogen energy industry and the efficient use of water resources in the provinces along the Yellow River. This study first establishes a “bottom-up” water footprint evaluation model for hydrogen production technology grounded in life cycle theory and analyzes and compares the water footprints and their components for hydrogen production from renewable energy versus coal. Second, the study examines the water-saving intensity of hydrogen production from renewable energy across different scenarios for each province in the Yellow River Basin. Finally, considering the variations in power structure and water scarcity footprints of each province, this study evaluates the water-saving potential of replacing coal-based hydrogen production with renewable energy sources by using the index of remaining available water. The findings reveal the following: (1) The water scarcity footprint is notably high in the northern regions along the Yellow River, particularly in the northwest. In Inner Mongolia, the water scarcity footprints of hydrogen production from photovoltaic and wind power are the largest, measuring 1167.7×10⁶ m³ and 637.73×10⁶ m³, respectively. (2) The water-saving intensity for hydrogen production from photovoltaic and wind power is also greatest in the west, with average values of 1.04 L·kg⁻¹ and 31.29 L·kg⁻¹, respectively. (3) Inner Mongolia exhibits the highest water-saving potential for hydrogen production from wind power, followed by Qinghai, Gansu, and Shanxi. For hydrogen production from photovoltaic power, Qinghai ranks highest in water-saving potential, followed by Gansu and Sichuan. These results provide a solid foundation for enhancing water resource utilization in the Yellow River Basin and offer critical guidance for the scientific planning and development of the hydrogen energy industry in each province of the region.

Key words: renewable energy, hydrogen energy, water footprint, water-saving potential, Yellow River Basin

LI Hui, YAO Xilong. Water-saving potential of hydrogen production from renewable energy in Yellow River Basin from the perspective of water footprint[J].Arid Land Geography, 2025, 48(8): 1353-1362.

Figures/Tables 11

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省（区）	AWARE CF	光伏制氢	风电制氢
内蒙古	5.896	1167.70	637.73
青海	23.501	62.65	34.22
宁夏	0.685	3.65	1.99
甘肃	3.521	46.94	25.63
陕西	1.379	7.35	4.012
山西	2.693	36.26	19.80
山东	0.531	4.71	2.57
河南	0.546	1.46	0.80
四川	1.204	0.88	0.482
平均值	-	147.96	80.80

Water-saving potential of hydrogen production from renewable energy in Yellow River Basin from the perspective of water footprint

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