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Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers and alternatives for international transport of renewable hydrogen

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  • Niermann, M.
  • Timmerberg, S.
  • Drünert, S.
  • Kaltschmitt, M.

Abstract

Hydrogen can be transported over long distances when stored in Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC). This transport is possible under the following conversion steps: first, hydrogen is stored inside a LOHC molecule (exothermic hydrogenation) at the starting point of the provision chain. Then, the loaded LOHC can be stored and transported. At the point of consumption, hydrogen is released (endothermic de-hydrogenation) and the unloaded LOHC returns to the point of hydrogen production. The optimal LOHC for transport should be liquid at ambient conditions and show similar properties to crude oil-based liquids (e.g., diesel, gasoline). This allows for a stepwise implementation using the existing crude oil-based infrastructure. However, there is a large variety of different LOHCs and other competing transport options; e.g., the transport of compressed hydrogen gas in pipelines or the transport of liquefied hydrogen in tanker ships. Against this background, this paper investigates the energy consumption and costs of these different hydrogen transport options. Therefore, the production of hydrogen is considered in areas with favorable renewable energy sources, followed by international transport logistics, and a local distribution in Germany. The assessment shows that the distance and the way heat is supplied to de-hydrogenate the LOHCs - especially for methanol - define the cost performance compared to a transport of compressed or liquid hydrogen. If the heat needed for dehydrogenation is covered by waste heat, dibenzyltoluene (DBT) or toluene can show benefits in terms of efficiency and costs. Furthermore, the different transport systems have different specific niches in which they are competitive; i.e., no specific transportation chain is superior to all systems under all circumstances. Nevertheless, the assessment shows that long-distance transport favors LOHC, while short-distance transport via pipelines can be used for lower costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Niermann, M. & Timmerberg, S. & Drünert, S. & Kaltschmitt, M., 2021. "Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers and alternatives for international transport of renewable hydrogen," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:135:y:2021:i:c:s1364032120304627
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110171
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    2. Naquash, Ahmad & Riaz, Amjad & Qyyum, Muhammad Abdul & Aziz, Muhammad & Assareh, Ehsanolah & Lee, Moonyong, 2023. "Liquid hydrogen storage and regasification process integrated with LNG, NGL, and liquid helium production," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 165-175.
    3. Kolb, Sebastian & Plankenbühler, Thomas & Hofmann, Katharina & Bergerson, Joule & Karl, Jürgen, 2021. "Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of renewable gas technologies: A comparative review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Egerer, Jonas & Grimm, Veronika & Niazmand, Kiana & Runge, Philipp, 2023. "The economics of global green ammonia trade – “Shipping Australian wind and sunshine to Germany”," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 334(C).
    5. Hren, Robert & Vujanović, Annamaria & Van Fan, Yee & Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír & Krajnc, Damjan & Čuček, Lidija, 2023. "Hydrogen production, storage and transport for renewable energy and chemicals: An environmental footprint assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    6. Ephraim Bonah Agyekum & Jeffrey Dankwa Ampah & Solomon Eghosa Uhunamure & Karabo Shale & Ifeoma Prisca Onyenegecha & Vladimir Ivanovich Velkin, 2023. "Can Africa Serve Europe with Hydrogen Energy from Its Renewables?—Assessing the Economics of Shipping Hydrogen and Hydrogen Carriers to Europe from Different Parts of the Continent," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-14, April.
    7. Lopez, Gabriel & Galimova, Tansu & Fasihi, Mahdi & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Breyer, Christian, 2023. "Towards defossilised steel: Supply chain options for a green European steel industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    8. Wu, Tianyi & Wang, Junfeng & Zhang, Wei & Zuo, Lei & Xu, Haojie & Li, Bin, 2023. "Plasma bubble characteristics and hydrogen production performance of methanol decomposition by liquid phase discharge," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).
    9. Olabi, A.G. & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali, 2022. "Renewable energy and climate change," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    10. Tomić, Aleksandra & Pomeroy, Brett & Todić, Branislav & Likozar, Blaž & Nikačević, Nikola, 2024. "Catalytic hydrogenation reaction micro-kinetic model for dibenzyltoluene as liquid organic hydrogen carrier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
    11. Blay-Roger, Rubén & Bach, Wolfgang & Bobadilla, Luis F. & Reina, Tomas Ramirez & Odriozola, José A. & Amils, Ricardo & Blay, Vincent, 2024. "Natural hydrogen in the energy transition: Fundamentals, promise, and enigmas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PA).
    12. Cha, Junyoung & Park, Yongha & Brigljević, Boris & Lee, Boreum & Lim, Dongjun & Lee, Taeho & Jeong, Hyangsoo & Kim, Yongmin & Sohn, Hyuntae & Mikulčić, Hrvoje & Lee, Kyung Moon & Nam, Dong Hoon & Lee,, 2021. "An efficient process for sustainable and scalable hydrogen production from green ammonia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    13. Godinho, João & Hoefnagels, Ric & Braz, Catarina G. & Sousa, Ana M. & Granjo, José F.O., 2023. "An economic and greenhouse gas footprint assessment of international maritime transportation of hydrogen using liquid organic hydrogen carriers," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).

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