Vopak in hydrogen transport and storage solution JVVopak in hydrogen transport and storage solution JV

The partnership with Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies will accelerate Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology adoption and development by building hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, storage and release plants.

LOHC works by hydrogenating the carrier oil benzyl toluene, a flame retardant non-explosive chemical widely used as a heat transfer medium. The hydrogenated oil can be handled like a fossil fuel and transported using current fossil fuel infrastructure such as tankers, port infrastructure, railcars and vehicles.

After transportation, the LOHC is dehydrogenated, releasing the hydrogen for use as a fuel. The LOHC can be used in the cycle of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation many hundreds of times, said the companies.

Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies’ JV will be based in Germany and named LOHC Logistix GmbH, and will aim to enable the supply of LOHC via tanker, ship, train and other means to off-takers.

The JV partners said they will accelerate the plans for the establishment of the LOHC storage plant at Chempark Dormagen, Germany, along with a release plant in Rotterdam.

Dr Daniel Teichmann, founder and CEO at Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, said: "Worldwide there exists a huge capacity of storage tanks, sea vessels, inland tankers and tank trucks for the storage and transportation of liquid fossil fuels. Hydrogenious wants to turn all this valuable infrastructure into the hydrogen infrastructure of the future using our LOHC technology.

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“With the build-up of LOHC plants in Chempark Dormagen and Rotterdam we will establish a green hydrogen supply chain that we see as a blueprint for a future even more comprehensive network across Europe and the Middle East and beyond.”

Dick Richelle, Chairman Executive Board and CEO Vopak, said: "This investment is well in line with Vopak's strategy to accelerate its portfolio investments towards new energies and sustainable feedstocks. We believe that different types of hydrogen logistics need to be developed to be able to facilitate the needed future flows of hydrogen and hydrogen carriers."