Hydrogen shipping from Scotland to Rotterdam explored

An international consortium has launched a study on the feasibility of shipping hydrogen at scale from Scotland to the Port of Rotterdam in the form of methylcyclohexane.

Methylcyclohexane (MCH) is a chemically stable liquid produced from toluene and hydrogen that can be transported under ambient temperatures and pressure in chemical carriers.

Parties behind the project include Axens, Chiyoda, EnQuest, ERM, Koole Terminals, Port of Rotterdam, Storegga and the Net Zero Technology Centre. The plan is to carry out engineering studies targeted at developing a pilot project as a precursor to large-scale export. The Scottish government, which is targeting 5 GW of green hydrogen production by 2030 and 25 GW by 2045, is backing the initiative together with the Shetland Islands Council.

Rotterdam, as an established energy hub, already imports 13% of Europe’s energy and has ambitions to become the hydrogen hub of Europe. Last year, Europe’s largest port signed up to study hydrogen import options at one of Koole’s terminals, utilising Chiyoda’s technology that produces hydrogen and toluene from MCH. This technology was used earlier to demonstrate a circular hydrogen supply chain by shipping MCH from Brunei for splitting in Japan and shipping toluene back to Brunei. The remaining hydrogen was supplied to a gas turbine at the Mizue power plant in Japan.

Liquid MCH contains 500 times more hydrogen per volume than hydrogen gas, making it a highly efficient carrier. Gaseous hydrogen is catalytically extracted from MCH through the dehydrogenation process for further use. Production of MCH is also said to be more efficient than ammonia, another carrier of hydrogen. According to the Ammonia Energy Association, ammonia production consumes 25% more energy per unit of hydrogen than the production of MCH.