Hydrogen Transportation Market

Hydrogen is transported from point of production to the point of use via pipeline or over the road in cryogenic liquid tanker trucks or gaseous tube trailers similar to that of natural gas. Generally, hydrogen is being transported via pipelines to liquefaction plants, trucks, storage facilities, compressors, and dispensers for delivering the fuel at end use such as into industrial facilities, power generator, or fueling stations. There are challenges in hydrogen delivery such as maintaining hydrogen purity and minimizing hydrogen leakage. Hydrogen can be transported both in liquid hydrogen where the hydrogen is transported in bulk as a liquid and that of metal hydride it is transported in a form of a solid metal hydride.

The Hydrogen Transportation Market based on the type has been segmented into gaseous hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and materials-based hydrogen. Gaseous hydrogen is the most common form of hydrogen for transportation through pipelines or by trucks. Liquid hydrogen is a used as a form when large volumes transportation is needed. To liquefy the gas, it must be cooled to cryogenic temperature through liquefaction process. Gaseous hydrogen is liquefied by cooling it to below −253°C. Once hydrogen is liquefied it can be stored at the liquefaction plant in large, insulated tanks. Hydrogen is transported in these tanker trucks for large distances. In Metal hydride containers, hydrogen is being stored via a chemical reaction between a metal alloy and gaseous hydrogen. The solid metal hydride acts like a sponge that absorbs and releases the hydrogen.

The Hydrogen Transportation Market based on the mode of delivery has been segmented into pipelines, cryogenic liquid tanker trucks, gaseous tube trailers, railway, others. Others include barge and airway. Transporting gaseous hydrogen via pipelines is a low-cost option for delivering large volumes of hydrogen. The high-initial costs of this infrastructure is a barrier for expanding this network. Liquid form of hydrogen is transported in super-insulated, cryogenic tanker trucks. Tube trailers are trucks that haul gaseous hydrogen which are like that of natural gas transportation. Compared to roads, railways have high reliability and safety in terms of transportation of hydrogen. Similarly, to others of kinds of hydrogen transportation modes barges and airways are being used for the transportation of the hydrogen.

Based on the end-users in the hydrogen transportation market has been segmented into power generation, oil & gas, chemicals & petrochemicals, automotive & transportation, fertilizer, mining & metals, pharmaceutical, and others. The desire to reduce the carbon emissions in the traditional power generation assets is increasing the power production from renewables. Gas turbines can be used to in this scenario for obtaining carbon-free energy ecosystem, hydrogen can be operated as a medium in the gas turbines. Hydrogen can be used in oil & gas utilities for converting heavy petroleum fractions into lighter products and to remove Sulphur, nitrogen, and metals from petroleum fractions for improving the quality of processed crude oil. Chemicals & petrochemicals has a need for hydrogen in hydrocracking process to create petroleum products. New developments in the fuel cell-powered vehicles is increasing the hydrogen consumption in the automotive and transportation. Ammonia used in the fertilizers is produced using hydrogen from fossil fuels. In the Mining & Metals industry, hydrogen is replacing the conventional fuels for the heavy equipment’s used for their operations such as haul trucks and trains. Similarly in the pharmaceutical industry, hydrogen is being used for manufacturing vitamins and pharmaceutical products. The demand in the need for the hydrogen varies from industry to industry which is increasing the hydrogen transportation network in varies industry.

In terms of region, the hydrogen transportation market can be segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America has increased their focus in the hydrogen point of view for the mobility purposes. For instance, 51 hydrogen refueling stations have been made available for the US public mobility. Asia Pacific is expected to be the leader in the wind turbine rotor blade market in the coming years. Government and commercial support with technological advancements are pushing the development of clean hydrogen in the Asia Pacific region. Due to the climate change policies, Middle East has planned its vision in reducing the carbon emissions. For instance, Alstom in Middle East and North Africa is planning to build a hydrogen mobility infrastructure for ensuring sustainability transportation. Low-term strategies are being planned for the hydrogen to integrating into the south America’s infrastructure to be in-line with the Net zero targets. These developments in various regions are pushing the growth of the hydrogen transportation market.

A few of the major players operating in the geothermal energy market include Parker Hannifin, Chart Industries, TÜV SÜD, Linde plc, CALVERA, among others.