Letter to Council

Water Usage For Onshore Wind Turbines

Nova Scotia has been experiencing a severe drought, which has led to more wildfires, along with wells drying up and other problems. We're told that this situation will only get worse due to climate c...

Nova Scotia has been experiencing a severe drought, which has led to more wildfires, along with wells drying up and other problems. We're told that this situation will only get worse due to climate change. My question is, why would we even be considering accepting an industry like hydrogen production for export, from onshore wind turbines, when that requires a large constant source of fresh good quality water? Here is some information: "Onshore wind turbine hydrogen production requires water because it uses electricity from wind turbines to power an electrolyzer that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. Wind turbines themselves do not use water, but the process of creating hydrogen from wind power is water-intensive, with approximately 8.92 kilograms of water needed per 1 kilogram of hydrogen produced, and higher purity water is critical for efficiency and system longevity. How water is used: Electrolysis: The core process involves passing electricity through water in an electrolyzer to split it into hydrogen and oxygen. Purity: High-purity water is necessary to ensure the electrolyzer runs efficiently and to prevent damage from contaminants. Production needs: A significant amount of water is needed; for example, a 1 MW electrolyzer can require about 5 metric tons of pure water per day. Considerations for onshore production: Water source: Onshore projects typically use freshwater, such as town water, but this can be a concern in water-scarce regions. System efficiency: Using pure water prevents a buildup of minerals that can reduce efficiency and shorten the life of the equipment. Water management: Project developers must consider water sourcing and management as a critical part of the project's infrastructure, especially in areas with limited water resources."

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Nov 15, 2025 4:46 PM
Wow! I had no idea that this hydrogen export plan would in effect be exporting our water! Kind of like all the problems they've been having with those bit-coin farms using up all the community's water.

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