There is decarbonization that the world seems to be racing toward; hydrogen is seen to be one of the players in the clean energy revolution. Storage and transport remain big challenges in hydrogen, but innovations such as Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers or LOHC are remolding the face of hydrogen, making it more affordable and efficient in distributing it. Recently, pioneering projects that prove the high-demand and transformative use of this technology in the UK and Scotland are occurring for global implications about greener tomorrow.
Green hydrogen transport utilizing oil infrastructure is a pioneering effort by Exolum
In a historic first, Exolum has created the world’s first commercial-size project that uses existing oil infrastructure to transport and store green hydrogen. It is based at the largest freight port in England, Immingham, and the project depends on organic hydrogen carriers, compounds that can store hydrogen in liquid form in a safe manner.
This explains the hydrogen presence and absorption as well as dissipation by the carriers through chemical reactions. They are thereby utilized in efficient storing and transport without extensive new infrastructure construction. With funding of £505,000 from the UK government, the project shows the huge potential LOHC technology holds.
With a test plan to move 20 tonnes of hydrogen through 1.5 kilometres of pipeline, this project presents a scalable model to meet increasing hydrogen requirements. By placing storage facilities in immediate proximity to demanding locations such as industrial hubs and ports, Exolum conceives an accelerated supply chain to push ahead the clean energy transition.
Furthermore, Exolum has bigger aspirations extending way beyond Immingham itself. It is on a mission to create an annual distribution of 4.6 TWh of hydrogen. That represents about 30% of a projected hydrogen demand in the UK by 2030. Such integration certainly drives home the transition by repurposed fossil fuel infrastructure into the swift and economical energy transition.
Exploring bulk hydrogen transport via LOHCs in LHyTS project
Simultaneously, the project LHyTS is now investigating LOHCs for transport of bulk hydrogen. More than just the facilitate of the supply chain weaving Scotland into the Netherlands, this project could prove a very significant step toward Scotland eventually becoming a net exporter of hydrogen by the year 2045.
At the heart of the project are two proposed export terminals – St Fergus and Sullom Voe – with Koole Terminals in Rotterdam serving as destination for imports. The small-scale pilot could take it to 40,100 tonnes per annum by 2027, and on to 250,500 by 2031. Without identifying technical limitations, this research demonstrates the scalability and viability of LOHC technology into international importation of hydrogen.
One clear finding was regarding the cost effectiveness of hydrogen transportation ranging from £4.80/kgH2 (€5.56) for smaller scale scenarios through to £2.56/kgH2 (€2.96) for the largest scale exports, promising affordability along with sustainability. These conclusions set Scotland for being a potential green hydrogen export hub, giving emphasis for the country’s continuing commitment to renewable energy leadership.
From the UK to Scotland: Carving the path for a hydrogen revolution
LOHC technology is not limited to transforming individual projects but can transform more. An example is both the UK and Scotland’s most recent projects as blueprints with which hydrogen infrastructure development can proceed across the world, proving a place for existing assets while paving the way for innovative technology to overcome logistical hurdles.
Exolum’s work on the Humber region and its Tees Valley Hydrogen Vehicle Ecosystem present production, transport, and consumption hubs coming together. In addition, Scotland’s focus on international collaboration makes hydrogen economy’s essence a truly global one.
All of these will point toward an earth where hydrogen is fully integrated into energy systems powering industries, vehicles, and cities. The use of LOHCs in the UK and Scotland is a precursor to improved renewable energy standards in efficient and sustainable hydrogen transport. These are the projects that tell the world how urgent investments into transformational technologies for a cleaner, greener world are.