Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies—which is developing liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) technology as a way to transport hydrogen molecules—is focusing its expansion efforts on the MENA market.

LOHC is one of a number of solutions—including liquefaction, compression and conversion to ammonia or methanol—that could potentially be used to transport hydrogen molecules over long distances on ships, on trucks or in pipelines.

LOHC is one of the least commercialised hydrogen transport options but has the potential to be among the cheapest if fully adopted. It offers users the opportunity to carry hydrogen on oil product tankers and trucks, meaning it can use established infrastructure.

“The MENA market is a very important market where we see a lot of opportunities in the short and medium term,” said Toralf Pohl, chief commercial officer of Hydrogenious, speaking at the Hydrogen Online Conference organised by German knowledge-sharing platform Mission Hydrogen.

“Our focus is on the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman and Morocco. And we see potential in other markets in Nigeria, Tunisia and Mauritania.”

Good wind and solar resources will make for competitive green hydrogen production costs in the region, which is well-placed to serve both European and Asian demand markets—just as it does with oil and gas.

And access to cheap natural gas is allowing countries such as the UAE to target some of the lowest production costs in the world—with blue hydrogen production possible for as little as $1.3/kg in the country, according to a report from consultancy Qamar Energy in 2021.

Building partnerships

Hydrogenious has a joint venture in the UAE with Emirates Specialized Contracting & Oilfield Services (ESCO), which aims to establish LOHC-based supply chains in the region, and has an office in Masdar City in Abu Dhabi.

The firm has also recently signed partnership agreements in Morocco and Egypt, and is building links with port operators, regulatory authorities, EPC firms and hydrogen project developers in those countries as it looks to raise awareness of its technology.

“MENA is an important market where we see a lot of opportunities” Pohl, Hydrogenious

Hydrogenious was also part of a joint study agreement to explore hydrogen production and transportation between the UAE and Germany with utility Uniper and Abu Dhabi state oil and gas firm Adnoc.

“This feasibility study is now completed, and we are discussing with our partners the next steps—the results are promising, particularly relating to the commercial scale plans,” said Pohl, noting that a study of a similar nature has also been carried out in Saudi Arabia.

Both studies assess the technical and economic feasibility of integrating LOHC technology in the supply chain, as well as a like-for-like price comparison to other transportation technologies.

“All feasibility studies we have run so far in the MENA region show we are competitive,” said Pohl, without revealing any figures.

A separate analysis carried out by a recent IEA report, called Energy Technology Perspectives 2023, modelled that, for a shipping distance of 8,000km in 2030, LOHC will have a shipping and reconversion cost of $2/kg—meaning that hydrogen could be delivered to Europe or Asia from the Middle East for as little as $4/kg with a $2/kg production cost using the technology. The costs were similar to those for using ammonia and cheaper than those for liquid hydrogen.

Safety first

Hydrogenious is also keen to promote LOHC as the safest of the hydrogen transport technology options due to the absence of pressurisation and the fact its hydrogen carrier molecule—called thermal oil benzyl toluene—is flame retardant and non-explosive.

“Safety, of course, is always the big topic, and is particularly important in cases where the hydrogen molecule needs to be handled in populated areas—such as the port of Amsterdam,” said Tohl.

Tank storage company Evos, the Port of Amsterdam authority and Hydrogenious are founding members of the H2A platform, which aims to import 1mt/yr of green hydrogen into Amsterdam after 2028.

“After two years of intensive studies the Port of Amsterdam decided to use [our technology] for safety reasons,” said Pohl.

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Author: Tom Young