Global land and water limits to electrolytic hydrogen production using wind and solar resources

This paper assesses the global land and water resource availability for large-scale electrolytic hydrogen production using wind and solar energy. A country-by-country analysis compares projected 2050 hydrogen demand with resource availability, identifying countries constrained by domestic resources and highlighting potential hydrogen importers and exporters. The findings suggest that less than 50% of 2050 hydrogen demand could be met locally without resource scarcity, depending on land allocation for renewable energy infrastructure. Southern and Central-East Africa, West Africa, South America, Canada, and Australia emerge as potential hydrogen export leaders.

Davide Tonelli, Lorenzo Rosa, Paolo Gabrielli, Ken Caldeira, Alessandro Parente, Francesco Contino