Wastewater also has a big effect! Monash researchers take you on an exploration of the magic of wastewater in the hydrogen production industry

　　Researchers at Monash University and the Australian National Water Company are looking to produce hydrogen more sustainably by reusing wastewater.

　　Hydrogen is a clean energy source that can be used as a fuel for transportation and heating, or as a raw material in industrial production.

　　However, hydrogen production requires abundant renewable energy and a stable water supply, resulting in scalable, sustainable commercial energy. As a result, at least 5.5 billion litres of water per year will be needed to meet australia's National Hydrogen Strategy target for export markets by 2030, which equates to the annual water consumption of 1.6 million people.

　　The "Sustainable Hydrogen Production from Wastewater" project, which recently received funding from ARC Linkage, will use wastewater to make feedstock for water electrolysis to produce hydrogen, aiming to address the challenges of water shortages in the hydrogen production process.

　　Professor Xiwang Zhang, Professor Huanting Wang and Dr Yinlong Zhu of monash University's Department of Chemical Engineering are committed to advancing the practical application of electrolyzed water in scalable and sustainable hydrogen production and helping Australia maintain its leading position in the emerging global hydrogen economy.

　　Professor Xiwang Zhang, Director of Chemical Engineering at ARC Energy Separation Research Centre, said the project provided an opportunity to minimise freshwater consumption and take advantage of the large amount of wastewater generated by Australia's major capital cities.

　　"The amount of wastewater currently available far exceeds the amount of water required for electrolysis to produce hydrogen. Much of Australia's treated water is discharged into surrounding water bodies or recycled for irrigation after treatment at a central municipal sewage treatment plant. Given the high degree of consistency in the amount of water treated by these plants, this will be a very developed source of water electrolysis. Professor Zhang said.

　　"With our expertise in water electrolysis, membranes and water treatment, we are excited to have the opportunity to work with our industry partners to contribute to the development of renewable hydrogen technologies from wastewater." Professor Wang, Australian Academician Laureate and Director of the Monash Membrane Innovation Centre Research Institute, added.

　　The project will work closely with the Australian Water Research Centre (WaterRA) with national water companies Southeast Water, Melbourne Water and Yarra Valley Water.

　　Dr. Arash Zamyadi, from WaterRA, who is a co-investigator of the project, believes that although most of the contaminants in the current wastewater treatment process have been effectively removed, there are still small amounts of impurities (residual organic matter and ions).

　　"We still have a knowledge gap in how impurities affect water cell design and process operations. Through this research, we hope to gain insight into the impact of impurities in wastewater on the performance and durability of water electrolyzers, and in turn develop guidelines for the design of high durability water electrolyzers and the operation and upgrading of existing wastewater treatment plants. Dr. Zamyadi said.

　　The research results of the project will contribute to the global hydrogen export market. Exports of hydrogen from Australia alone are expected to exceed 3 million tonnes per year by 2040, bringing up to A$10 billion in revenue for the Australian economy.