Vopak and Hydrogenious in Hydrogen Venture
Vopak and Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies are forming a joint venture company to accelerate the development of an international hydrogen market. The 50:50 venture, LOHC Logistix, will be based in Germany, supporting both partners’ efforts to supply green hydrogen.
Hydrogenious has developed liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) technology that is seen as having big potential for establishing hydrogen supply chains.
The technology uses benzyl toluene — already well established as an industrial heat transfer medium — as a carrier. Due to its characteristics as a flame retardant and non-explosive carrier with a high volumetric energy density, benzyl toluene can be handled like a liquid fossil fuel, making it a natural fit for use within existing port infrastructure, vessels, tankers and vehicles.
The companies have committed to accelerate the establishment of an LOHC storage plant planned at Covestro’s site in Chempark Dormagen in Germany, as well as a facility in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, that would release 1.5 t of hydrogen per day.
“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,” said Daniel Tecihmann, founder and CEO of Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies.
Vopak invested in Hydrogenious in 2019, taking a 10% stake in the Erlangen, Germany-based company. Other major investors in Hydrogenious include Chevron and JERA Americas, which agreed in September 2021 to invest almost $18 million, along with Temasek and Pavilion Capital.
Last November, Chevron and JERA announced a joint study on applying LOHC technology in the US. They intend to complete their work this year.
And in October 2022, Hydrogenious signed a Memorandum of Understanding with tank storage company Evos and the Port of Amsterdam to establish large-scale import facilities for hydrogen that will include an LOHC dehydrogenation plant with a release capacity of up to 100-150 t/d.
Author: Elaine Burridge, Freelance Journalist
