(34d) Economics of Hydrogen Transportation in Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier

As hydrogen plays an increasing role in global energy transition strategies, optimizing transport from regions with abundant, low-cost hydrogen production potential, such as Saudi Arabia, is crucial. This study presents a techno-economic analysis of transporting hydrogen from Saudi Arabia using Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHC), specifically Methylcyclohexane (MCH). MCH is one of the promising LOHC candidates to transport hydrogen over long distances by storing and transporting hydrogen in a liquid form under ambient conditions. The analysis evaluates the entire value chain, including hydrogen production, hydrogenation, transportation, dehydrogenation, and final delivery from Saudi Arabia to four distinct locations in Germany, Indonesia, UK, and Japan. Results show that the additional energy demands for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation in LOHC technology are offset by the safety and infrastructure advantages when compared to compressed or liquefied hydrogen. For a hydrogen delivery capacity of 100,000 tons per year, the estimated levelized cost of delivered hydrogen (LCDH) were found to be $4.27, $4.08, $5.02, $4.87 per kilogram of hydrogen for Hamburg, Jakarta, Immingham, and Kawasaki ports respectively.