Suitability and Energy Sustainability of Atmospheric Water Generation Technology for Green Hydrogen Production

Abstract

This research investigated the suitability of air-to-water generator (AWG) technology to address one of the main concerns in green hydrogen production, namely water supply. This study specifically addresses water quality and energy sustainability issues, which are crucial research questions when AWG technology is intended for electrolysis. To this scope, a reasoned summary of the main findings related to atmospheric water quality has been provided. Moreover, several experimental chemical analyses specifically focused on meeting electrolysis process requirements, on water produced using a real integrated AWG system equipped with certified materials for food contact, were discussed. To assess the energy sustainability of AWGs in green hydrogen production, a case study was presented regarding an electrolyzer plant intended to serve as energy storage for a 2 MW photovoltaic field on Iriomote Island. The integrated AWG, used for the water quality analyses, was studied in order to determine its performance in the specific island climate conditions. The production exceeded the needs of the electrolyzer; thus, the overproduction was considered for the panels cleaning due to the high purity of the water. Due to such an operation, the efficiency recovery was more than enough to cover the AWG energy consumption. This paper, on the basis of the quantity results, provides the first answers to the said research questions concerning water quality and energy consumption, establishing the potential of AWG as a viable solution for addressing water scarcity, and enhancing the sustainability of electrolysis processes in green hydrogen production.