Hydrogen teleported for first time and no one understands how
20 tons that can be anywhere

WORLD  26 June 2024 - 20:03

EcoNews carries an article about the recent collaboration of two companies which will provide a solution for long-distance transportation of a larger volume of hydrogen, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

One of the difficulties hydrogen has had in gaining a foothold in the market and replacing fossil fuels is its complicated storage and transportation due to its transformation from a gaseous to a liquid state.

However, the recent collaboration of two companies will provide a solution for long-distance transportation of a larger amount of blue energy.

What is this novel solution for transporting hydrogen?

In recent days, a contract has been signed between the Japanese oil company Eneas and the US-based Honeywell Technology, which has launched a feasible solution that revolutionizes the transport of this energy as we know it.

The first liquid organic hydrogen carrier or LOHC makes it possible to transport this energy resource in liquid form over long distances due to a process of hydrogenation of toluene in methylcyclohexane (MCH) that releases heat.

In this way, the energy resource reaches the entire world on a commercial scale and safely stored in large, already installed infrastructures and transported by trains, ships, airplanes and trucks in a secure manner.

Once at its destination, the system undergoes a dehydrogenation process by which it re-absorbs the heat released during the first stage, known as the endothermic reaction.

In this way, the technology ensures optimal recovery of the blue energy and can be transported again with toluene as the carrier liquid.

Recall that hydrogen is a highly flammable gas with low density and, until now, was difficult to store and transport. Conventional systems involved liquefying the hydrogen and combining it with ammonia, which generated higher costs and additional infrastructure.

How is the industry going to change? New invention to revolutionize energy production worldwide

One of the most important advantages is that this system can achieve successful results at room temperature, and not at low temperatures as the traditionally known and more expensive technology.

This new solution that economizes and optimizes the treatment, storage and long-distance transport of liquid energy is expected to be used by the automotive industry, mainly in cars, airplanes and trains, all powered by hydrogen fuel cells.

In addition, the technology is ahead of the demand from the energy sector and global industry on the road to transition from fossil fuels to greener, zero-carbon substitutes.

According to Ken West, president and CEO of Honeywell Energy and Sustainability Solutions, the liquid organic hydrogen carrier provides a viable solution toward decarbonization but also establishes more sustainable collaborations between international energy companies.

West added that more cost-effective transportation of hydrogen allows for a more seamless connection of international supply and demand, establishing this energy resource in a major role in the sustainability of the economy.

Basis and previous experiences of the LOCH project: the impossible project that has been achieved

Honeywell Technology officials have stated that this is not the first collaborative project with large companies, but that they have experience with Exolum, which began transporting and storing organic blue energy in bulk at its plants in Immingham in the Humber, United Kingdom.

The project began in March of this year and allowed the storage and transport of up to 400 m3 of LOHC with about 20 tons of hydrogen, the equivalent of 2 million kilometers of a hydrogen car.

The site designated for the installation of the storage structures is located between the Immingham East and Immingham West facilities via a 1.5 kilometer pipeline.

The system implemented by Honeywell is monitored by laboratory testing throughout the process to ensure the reliability and quality of the LOHC technology. With this new system, hydrogen can be transported safely over distances around the globe, offering a more environmentally sustainable resource.

Caliber.Az