This book explores the opportunities and challenges of hydrogen transport through different carriers (i.e., liquefied hydrogen, ammonia, toluene, and dibenzyltoluene). Each value chain analyzed includes: renewable H2 conversion to the carrier, storage of the hydrogenated carrier, its seaborne transport, reconversion of the carrier to produce H2 and hydrogen distribution. The conversion and reconversion processes are the cost drivers of the whole value chain. These stages are investigated through an in-depth techno-economic assessment, to highlight the critical issues and the need for further investigation (low TRL). The alternatives are examined considering: different H2 applications (industrial and mobility sector); different costs of utilities (present and future scenarios); and different distances from the loading to the unloading terminal. All these scenarios are discussed and compared by means of the levelized cost method, to understand which is the most cost-effective choice for each case study.
As a result, H2 application to the industrial sector shows the lowest costs, with ammonia being the best alternative for transporting and storing hydrogen in this case. Liquefied hydrogen is the most expensive H2 carrier for the industrial application, as a consequence of the high liquefaction costs while holding promises for the mobility sector.