Techno-economic Realities of Long-Distance Hydrogen Transport

The report finds that importing large quantities of low-carbon hydrogen to Europe is expensive and energy-inefficient due to hydrogen's low volumetric energy density. Pipeline transport is consistently more cost-effective than maritime shipping, with Norway and Algeria identified as the most competitive pipeline sources. Among maritime options, ammonia is the lowest-cost carrier, with the Arabian Gulf being the most economical exporter. The analysis suggests that importing LNG to produce hydrogen at the point of import may be more feasible than long-distance hydrogen transport. CATF recommends that the European Commission re-examine its 2030 target of 20 million tonnes of clean hydrogen per year, as it may lack a clear basis.

• Importing large volumes of low-carbon hydrogen to Europe via ship or pipeline is characterized by high costs and low energy efficiency, primarily because of hydrogen's low volumetric energy density.
• Pipeline transport is consistently more cost-effective and simpler than maritime supply chains. For the smallest volume (250,000 tonnes/year), Norway is the cheapest pipeline source, while Algeria becomes the cheapest at higher volumes due to lower natural gas prices.
• Among maritime carriers, ammonia is the most cost-effective option across all locations and volumes. The Arabian Gulf is the lowest-cost maritime exporter due to competitive construction costs, proximity to Rotterdam, and low natural gas prices.
• Using uncracked ammonia as a direct fuel or feedstock is the cheapest overall method for delivering hydrogen molecules, as it avoids the energy-intensive dehydrogenation (cracking) process required to produce pure hydrogen.
• Liquid hydrogen and methylcyclohexane (MCH) are the most expensive import pathways. Liquid hydrogen requires extreme refrigeration (-253°C), and MCH requires significant energy for dehydrogenation, which can consume 43% to 52% of the produced hydrogen.
• Natural gas prices are the primary driver of operating costs for 'blue' hydrogen production, accounting for 20% to 70% of the total delivered cost across the analyzed supply chains.
• The report argues that the European Commission's target of 20 million tonnes of clean hydrogen per year by 2030 lacks a clear basis and should be re-examined to reflect realistic projections.

APA

Tatsutani, M., Wakim, G., Tovar, M., Carr, A., & Han, H. (2023). Techno-economic Realities of Long-Distance Hydrogen Transport. Clean Air Task Force. https://www.catf.us/resource/techno-economic-realities-long-distance-hydrogen-transport/

Chicago

Tatsutani, Marika, Ghassan Wakim, Magnolia Tovar, Alex Carr, and Hagan Han. Techno-economic Realities of Long-Distance Hydrogen Transport. Clean Air Task Force, 2023. https://www.catf.us/resource/techno-economic-realities-long-distance-hydrogen-transport/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tatsutani |first1=Marika |last2=Wakim |first2=Ghassan |last3=Tovar |first3=Magnolia |last4=Carr |first4=Alex |last5=Han |first5=Hagan |title=Techno-economic Realities of Long-Distance Hydrogen Transport |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=26 September 2023 |url=https://www.catf.us/resource/techno-economic-realities-long-distance-hydrogen-transport/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tatsutani2023technoeconomic, author = {Tatsutani, Marika and Wakim, Ghassan and Tovar, Magnolia and Carr, Alex and Han, Hagan}, title = {{Techno-economic Realities of Long-Distance Hydrogen Transport}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.catf.us/resource/techno-economic-realities-long-distance-hydrogen-transport/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }