Hydrogen trade could rely on derivatives

Ammonia and methanol may present quicker routes to market

An international hydrogen market will likely initially hinge on the derivatives of the gas, such as ammonia and methanol, according to industry experts speaking at the recent World Hydrogen Congress. Firms such as Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries have started to develop vessels to transport liquid hydrogen, but they have yet to reach wide levels of adoption and can only carry relatively small volumes at present. The market for pure hydrogen will not develop with the same ease as the natural gas market due to shipping difficulties, according to Mansur Zhakupov, vice-president for hydrogen production and distribution at TotalEnergies. “Compared to the liquefaction of natural gas, transforming