review · Hydrogen
Producing green hydrogen via renewable-powered water electrolysis is central to sustainable energy transitions, but water-scarce regions require careful resource planning. Based on a systematic review of 130 studies following PRISMA guidelines, this research establishes an integrated assessment framework for green hydrogen production using groundwater in South Africa. The architecture incorporates five core dimensions: groundwater resource assessment, electrolyser technology selection under local water quality constraints, disaggregated levelised cost of hydrogen incorporating water treatment expenses, comparative life-cycle assessment across green, blue, and grey hydrogen, and policy alignment. The analysis investigates technical feasibility, economic viability, and environmental performance, alongside strategic considerations for establishing decentralised hydrogen hubs. By evaluating strategic strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the work identifies both export opportunities and circular economy links, delivering guidance for policymakers, planners, and industrial developers navigating groundwater-based green hydrogen projects.
Green hydrogen requires significant volumes of water, creating challenges in arid and developing nations. By combining hydrogeological constraints, water treatment costs, and electrolyser specifications into a single decision-making framework, this work helps planners determine whether using groundwater for hydrogen fuel production is environmentally sustainable and economically realistic without compromising local water security.
The framework serves as an early-stage planning and feasibility tool for industrial developers, regional planners, and policymakers considering groundwater-fed green hydrogen projects. It provides actionable guidance for selecting electrolyser technologies, calculating water treatment and levelised production costs, and designing decentralised production hubs. As a conceptual framework derived from a systematic review, it requires real-world project deployment to validate its operational utility.
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The hydrogen economy has emerged as a promising pathway to address climate change and ensure long-term global energy security, with water electrolysis powered by renewable energy as a key enabler of sustainable hydrogen production. Recent advances in various electrolyser technologies have enhanced their suitability for industrial applications, creating new opportunities for deploying green hydrogen. To address the gap in integrated, multi-dimensional assessment tools for groundwater-based hydrogen systems in water-scarce developing countries, this study develops and presents a Structured Assessment Framework for Green Hydrogen Production from Groundwater in South Africa—the first framework to simultaneously integrate hydrogeological sustainability screening, electrolyser technology selection under groundwater quality constraints, disaggregated levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) analysis including water treatment costs, comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of green, blue, and grey hydrogen pathways, and policy and governance alignment within a single operationalised architecture. This included integrating five thematic dimensions: groundwater resource assessment, electrolyser technology integration, economic viability, environmental sustainability, and policy and governance considerations. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, drawing on 130 studies retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science (2015–2025). The analysis examines groundwater quality and suitability, the technical feasibility of electrolyser systems, and the comparative implications of grey, blue, and green hydrogen pathways on cost and environmental performance. The framework also provides strategic guidance for deploying renewable-energy-powered hydrogen systems, emphasising life-cycle impacts, regulatory alignment, and the potential for decentralised hydrogen hubs. Findings highlight the significance of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for green hydrogen production using groundwater in South Africa, including export potential and strong linkages to the circular economy. The study offers actionable insights for policymakers, planners, and industry stakeholders seeking to advance a sustainable and economically competitive hydrogen landscape.
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DOI: 10.3390/hydrogen7030112
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