10134277Sustainable, circular economy hydrogen production by valorisation of electrolyser waste heat for the purpose of direct seawater desalinationActiveCollaborative R&DInnovate UKTo reach net zero and achieve world-leading emissions reductions, the UK Government is targeting low-carbon hydrogen production of 10 GW by 2030. There are similar ambitious international strategies, such as in Taiwan with estimated need for around 4.35 million tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2050. Mutual challenges to achieve these goals include difficulty connecting renewable energy to grid, or variable power supply, resulting in poor hydrogen electrolyser performance. On the opposite side, many project sites have abundant renewable energy resources but do not have complete, or have high demands for, on-site water supply. Water supply deficits of 4,000MLD in UK are projected by 2050 (with water bills currently rising), while Taiwan is facing a shortfall of 680,000 m3/day by 2036. In the UK, there have already been by enquires to for extra 60MLD of water for hydrogen, as the country tackles climate change effects of drought and water scarcity, abstraction reductions, and increasing water demand from population and economic growth. Desalination is a potential solution, but both the UK and Taiwan recognise that current technologies used for large scale desalination are costly, energy intensive and lead to significant greenhouse gas emissions. Waterwhelm, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, will undertake a 2-year collaboration Project with Hephas, based in Hsinchu, Taiwan, to develop a disruptive prototype for sustainable hydrogen production. This UK-Taiwan Project, inspired by mutual challenges of ambitious hydrogen targets and the increasing value and scarcity of water, will develop a new hydrogen production prototype that uses its own waste heat to desalinate seawater using very low-grade waste heat from electrolysis. This will be achieved through application of a novel method with support from Heriot Watt University. Waterwhelm will lead industrial research in the UK to develop the new very low grade heat system. In Taiwan, Hephas will develop a heat recovery system for their electrolyser that will provide the heat needed. The two new systems will then be integrated. This circular-economy approach to hydrogen production, through valorisation of the electrolyser waste heat stream, is a new, synergistic innovation for highly efficient hydrogen production combined with desalination. It will result in a disruptive green energy technology that will have significant impact and economic benefits to both the UK and Taiwan.