Harnessing Nuclear Energy for Desalination and Green Hydrogen: A Sustainable Future for Africa
Africa is uniquely positioned at the nexus of water scarcity and growing energy demand, two challenges critical to its sustainable development. With nearly 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacking access to clean drinking water and one-third of the continent's population grappling with water scarcity, addressing this issue is imperative. Concurrently, Africa is undergoing a clean energy transition, with green hydrogen emerging as a pivotal energy vector. Nuclear energy, with its reliability, low-carbon footprint, and ability to generate both electricity and heat, offers a transformative solution to these intertwined challenges. By leveraging nuclear energy, African nations can sustainably scale water desalination efforts and green hydrogen production, aligning with their long-term development goals.
Africa’s Dual Challenge: Water Scarcity and Energy Deficiency
Africa faces stark disparities in access to freshwater and electricity. While the continent is home to 17% of the world’s population, it has only 9% of global freshwater resources, most of which are unevenly distributed. Agriculture consumes 70% of Africa’s available water, intensifying competition for resources and leaving domestic needs unmet. Recurring droughts further highlight the fragility of water security, leading to food insecurity and socio-economic disruptions. On the energy front, 50% of Africa's population lacks access to electricity. Urbanization and industrialization are driving energy demand, projected to grow by 60% by 2040. Currently, 80% of Africa's energy comes from fossil fuels, presenting economic and environmental challenges to achieving sustainable growth. These intertwined issues underscore the need for innovative and sustainable solutions.
AFRICA’S SHIFT TO SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS: WATER DESALINATION AND GREEN HYDROGEN
To combat water and energy crises, African nations are increasingly exploring innovative sustainable solutions, such as water desalination and green hydrogen production. These approaches offer promise in meeting urgent resource needs while aligning with environmental sustainability goals.
Desalination: A Response to Water Scarcity
Desalination—the process of removing salt and impurities from seawater—offers a promising solution to water scarcity, particularly for African countries with extensive coastlines. However, desalination is energy-intensive, with high-pressure pumps and thermal processes requiring significant power. To ensure sustainability, desalination plants must transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources such as nuclear power.
Practical applications:
Morocco's Integrated Approach: Morocco, with its vast coastline and growing energy demands, can utilize small modular reactors (SMRs) to power desalination plants. SMRs are cost-effective, scalable, and capable of providing consistent energy output, ideal for desalination. A proposed desalination project near Casablanca could integrate SMRs to provide clean water for agriculture and domestic use, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
South Africa’s Coastal Water Crisis: South Africa’s major cities, like Cape Town, frequently experience severe droughts. Nuclear energy can power desalination plants along the coast, providing a sustainable solution to urban water shortages. By using waste heat from nuclear reactors, South Africa could reduce the energy intensity of desalination, lowering operational costs.
Tunisia’s National Water Quality Program: Tunisia’s ongoing desalination efforts, under its National Program for the Improvement of Water Quality, could incorporate nuclear energy to increase plant efficiency. For example, coupling the country's desalination plants with advanced nuclear reactors could ensure continuous freshwater supply for inland regions.
Green Hydrogen: Africa’s Energy Revolution
Green hydrogen is emerging as a key area of focus for African nations, with several countries making bold strides toward harnessing this clean energy source. For example, Ghana is updating its Renewable Energy Master Plan to include green hydrogen, recognizing its future role. Similarly, Kenya introduced its Green Hydrogen Strategy in September 2023 at the Africa Climate Summit, aiming for a phased, demand-driven domestic market in collaboration with the EU.
Green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis powered by renewable or nuclear energy, is gaining momentum as a clean energy carrier. It can decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors such as transportation, steelmaking, and chemicals. Unlike renewables, which are subject to intermittency, nuclear energy provides a stable and continuous power supply, essential for efficient hydrogen production.
South Africa’s Green Hydrogen Commercialization Strategy targets a 4% global market share by 2050. Egypt, with an $83 billion pipeline of projects, plans to produce 1.5 million tonnes of hydrogen annually by 2030, leveraging its Suez Canal Free-Trade Zone for European exports.
Morocco is developing large-scale hydrogen projects, including a 10 GW facility with Total Energies, aiming to export hydrogen to Europe. Namibia plans to produce up to 12 million tonnes annually by 2050, with projects like HyIron for green hydrogen-powered industrial iron production. These projects highlight Africa’s growing role in the global green hydrogen market, signalling a shift toward clean and sustainable energy solutions.
Practical applications:
Kenya’s Hydrogen Export Strategy: Kenya, with its Green Hydrogen Strategy launched in 2023, can establish nuclear-powered electrolysis hubs to produce green hydrogen. Leveraging nuclear energy, these hubs could meet domestic demand while positioning Kenya as a leading exporter to Europe and Asia.
Egypt’s Hydrogen Gateway: Egypt’s ambitious hydrogen projects in the Suez Canal Economic Zone could integrate nuclear reactors to ensure round-the-clock hydrogen production. This approach would enhance Egypt’s competitiveness in the global hydrogen market and provide clean energy for local industries.
Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Vision: Namibia’s vast potential for green hydrogen production, powered by nuclear reactors, could support projects like HyIron, which aims to produce hydrogen-powered industrial iron. This integration would reduce emissions and create jobs, driving industrial growth.
How Nuclear Energy Can Transform Desalination
Nuclear power plants are uniquely suited for desalination due to their ability to provide both electricity and thermal energy. The integration of waste heat from nuclear reactors significantly improves the efficiency of desalination processes like multi-effect distillation (MED) and reverse osmosis (RO). Nuclear energy provides a sustainable and efficient solution to the energy-intensive nature of desalination. Its low-carbon footprint and cost-competitive performance compared to fossil fuels make it ideal for powering desalination plants. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has developed tools like the Desalination Economic Evaluation Program (DEEP) to perform economic analyses of different power resources coupled to desalination processes. The IAEA has been supporting nuclear desalination efforts for nearly 30 years, providing technical assistance, economic evaluations, and safety considerations. Notably, Morocco, during the 68th Regular Session of the IAEA General Conference, expressed interest in using small and medium modular reactors (SMRs) for economically viable desalination.
Below some steps African nations can take in that matter:
Design and Deploy SMRs: Small modular reactors are particularly well-suited for African countries. These reactors can be built closer to coastal desalination plants and provide steady power and heat. For instance, Ghana could pilot an SMR project along its coastline, using the reactor’s thermal energy for desalination and its electricity for regional grid support.
Adopt Hybrid Systems: Hybrid desalination systems that combine thermal and membrane technologies can be powered by nuclear reactors. Morocco, with its desalination mega-projects, could lead in implementing hybrid systems to maximize efficiency.
Leverage International Partnerships: The IAEA offers technical assistance and economic evaluations for nuclear desalination projects. African countries can collaborate with the IAEA to design cost-effective and safe solutions tailored to local needs.
Nuclear Energy’s Role in Scaling Hydrogen Production
Nuclear power is uniquely positioned to support green hydrogen production through electrolysis, which requires a constant and reliable power supply. Nuclear reactors provide the stability necessary for efficient hydrogen production. Producing green hydrogen through nuclear power involves coupling reactors with high-temperature electrolysis systems like Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells (SOECs). SOECs achieve higher efficiency by utilizing both electricity and heat from reactors, making nuclear-powered hydrogen production cost-competitive.
Producing 1 kg of hydrogen through electrolysis typically requires around 50 kWh of electricity. A single nuclear reactor with a capacity of 1 GW could theoretically produce 20,000 kg of hydrogen daily when operating at full capacity. This efficiency positions nuclear energy as a cost-effective option for large-scale hydrogen production, addressing the increasing demand for clean energy while significantly reducing carbon emissions. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a 1 GW nuclear reactor could produce up to 150,000 tons of hydrogen annually, providing a clean energy source for industries and economies.
Examples of Practical Implementation:
High-Temperature Reactors for Efficiency: Countries like Nigeria, planning 4.8 GW nuclear capacity, could utilize high-temperature reactors to power hydrogen production facilities. These reactors would supply both the heat and electricity needed, significantly reducing hydrogen production costs.
Hydrogen Clusters for Industry: Establishing hydrogen clusters near nuclear plants could support industrial decarbonization. South Africa, with its industrial hubs, could use hydrogen produced from nuclear power to decarbonize steel and chemical manufacturing.
Transport and Export Hubs: Ports in Egypt, Namibia, and Morocco can serve as export hubs for green hydrogen. Nuclear-powered electrolysis systems can scale production to meet international demand, strengthening Africa’s position in the global hydrogen market.
A PATH FORWARD FOR AFRICA: LEVERAGING NUCLEAR ENERGY
Nuclear energy offers Africa a transformative pathway to tackle its most pressing challenges. By integrating nuclear power into desalination and hydrogen production, the continent can achieve sustainable water and energy solutions, fueling its growth and resilience. With strategic investments and international collaboration, Africa has the potential to emerge as a global leader in clean energy and sustainable development, setting a benchmark for innovation and progress.
