Based on the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technology developed by Hydrogenious, Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies will establish an equally shared hydrogen logistics joint venture called LOHC Logistix for the storage, supply, and transportation of hydrogen.
This is one of the key actions that both businesses recently decided to do to advance LOHC market solutions and large-scale pilot projects.
Hydrogenious’ LOHC technology offers a great deal of potential to hasten the growth of a global hydrogen market. The liquid organic hydrogen pioneer from Germany employs thermal oil benzyl toluene (LOHC-BT), which is already well-known in the industry as a heat transfer medium and has great qualities for safe handling in ports, according to a company representative.
Benzyl toluene is a natural fit with the current port infrastructure and fleet of vessels, railcars, and tank trucks because of its properties as a flame retardant and non-explosive carrier with a high volumetric energy density that can be handled like a fossil liquid fuel within existing infrastructure, tankers, and vehicles at ambient pressure and temperature. The LOHC can be used to bind hydrogen numerous times after hydrogen is released (dehydrogenation).
Over the past few years, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies has supplied pilot-scale LOHC systems to partners in a number of nations, including Finland, Germany, and the US. This summer, the company launched the first complete LOHC supply chain for hydrogen mobility. The Hydrogen Refueling Station Erlangen in Germany is supplied by Hydrogenious using LOHC, which is an international first.
In order to support both parties in their efforts to supply green hydrogen to off-takers using LOHC-based transportation by ship, train, tanker, etc., they have formed a joint venture in Germany called LOHC Logistix GmbH. The usual closing requirements must be met before the joint venture can be incorporated. It will purchase hydrogenation and dehydrogenation services from/at the LOHC plant operator businesses and arrange transportation for supply and transportation.
The two partners agreed to speed up the construction of the 1.5 t/d hydrogen release facility in Rotterdam as well as the LOHC storage plant planned for Chempark Dormagen (Germany/North-Rhine Westphalia), for which the start-up date was announced in 2021. Both parties want to hasten the scale-up process.
In 2019, Vopak joined Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies as a strategic investor (with a shareholding of around 10 percent). The statement made today relates to Hydrogenious’ and Vopak’s initial equal investment in the new joint venture as well as a convertible loan made to Hydrogenious by Vopak that can be converted into stock following Hydrogenious’ additional funding rounds in the coming years.
