Techno-economic analysis of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC)

R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis, Liquid organic carriers, Techno-economic evaluation,

Lead Organisation:
Swinburne University of Technology

Partners:
CSIRO

Status:
Active

Start date:
June 2023

Completion date:
June 2026

Key contacts:
Gordon Chakaodza – Director, Victorian Hydrogen Hub: gchakaodza@swin.edu.au
Victorian Hydrogen Hub (VH2): vichydrogenhub@swin.edu.au
Feng Wang, Project Primary Supervisor: fwang@swin.edu.au
Qurat Ul Ain Yasin, Project Key Researcher: qyasin@swin.edu.au

Funding:
Victorian Government – Victorian Hydrogen Hub

Project total cost:
AUD$130,000

Project summary description:
The research plan of this project addresses the further development and implementation of renewable energy production, storage, transportation, and utilisation in an environmentally friendly manner. Hydrogen from renewable sources is a carbon-free fuel, which has been highlighted for its potential as a clean energy carrier. Its adoption can help pave the way toward a more sustainable energy future. This aligns with global climate goals, including the Paris climate agreement, which aims to limit temperature increases to less than 1.5-2°C.

Existing technologies, such as compressed and cryogenic hydrogen storage, may be unsuitable for large-scale international transport. As a result, transitioning to alternative methods, like Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs), is necessary to overcome these challenges. The LOHCs can store hydrogen in a covalently bonded state, which can be hydrogenated and dehydrogenated in the presence of a catalyst.

The research plan identifies key parameters for researching high-performance LOHCs and conducting techno-economic analysis. It emphasizes the need for economic viability and outlines a methodology involving technical and economic analysis.

Related publications and key links:
Valerie Sage, Jim Patel, Philip Hazewinkel, Qurat Ul Ain Yasin, Feng Wang, Yunxia Yang, Karen Kozielski, Chao’en Li “Recent progress and techno-economic analysis of liquid organic hydrogen carriers for Australian renewable energy export – A critical review” -International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.12.269

Australian Hydrogen Research Conference 2024 – Perth, Australia (03 September- 06 September 2024). Title of presentation: Techno-economic analysis on compressed and liquified hydrogen

Higher degree studies supported:
One PhD student at Swinburne University of Technology is supported by this project.

 

September 2024