Kawasaki Heavy Industries' prototype liquefied hydrogen carrier, the Suiso Frontier
Compressed hydrogen a potential option for shipping
Ships could be better-suited to short-haul voyages, offering market scalability, according to Global Energy Ventures
Ships carrying compressed hydrogen could help the nascent international hydrogen market grow by offering scalability, according to shipping firm Global Energy Ventures (GEV). Hydrogen is expensive and difficult to ship, and no single technology has yet emerged as the most cost-effective solution. Most hydrogen shipped internationally is first converted into ammonia, but this method has high reconversion costs, and some technical issues still remain in attaining hydrogen pure enough for use in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Liquefied hydrogen is often viewed as the natural successor to ammonia as export markets build and the costs of the technology come down. “A key advantage of C
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