New paper: Reducing the environmental impact of water electrolysis systems through reuse and recycling

The supply of hydrogen for aviation is associated with environmental impacts that occur mainly during the hydrogen production process. In this article, we focus on hydrogen production using water electrolysis and highlight how the environmental impact of electrolysis systems can be reduced.

Using life cycle analysis (LCA), this study analyses a 5 MW alkaline water electrolyser (AWE), focusing on end-of-life strategies, material recovery and their environmental impact. A special focus on recycling and reuse of critical materials within the circular economy can improve material efficiency in AWE systems and thus lead to significant reductions in global warming potential (GWP).

Main results of the LCA:

• Significant reduction in GWP: The use of recycled materials in AWE leads to a reduction in GWP of around 50% compared to primary materials.
• High recycling rate: Around 77% of the materials in a 5 MW AWE system can be recycled or reused, offering significant opportunities to improve sustainability in hydrogen production.
• Focus on critical materials: The study emphasises the need to investigate the environmental impact of specific components such as rectifiers and nickel materials in order to develop more effective recycling strategies and ensure resource security.

Open-access artikel: https://doi.org/10.3390/en18040796