Monash University researchers have claimed to have developed a new membrane technology that enables them to extracts hydrogen safely and efficiently from liquid carriers, allowing hydrogen to be transported in regular fuel trucks and pipelines.
Monash says that the innovation tackles the major challenge of hydrogen’s bulky and costly transport by using liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs), making shipping and storage much easier and cheaper.
The program has been supported by the Australian Government’s Global Connections Fund, and the project is now scaling up according to the university, with Korean partner, SMU Airrane and claims it will be tested at Monash and CSIRO’s Membrane Pilot Facility soon.
Monmash reckons hydrogen is critical to a clean energy future, but moving it around is a major hurdle, because it is lightweight gas, it’s costly to store and transport, and often requiring extreme pressure or temperatures.
The researchers in an effort to solve this, have been turning to Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs) – special liquids that can safely store hydrogen.
While Monash admits the concept isn’t new, efficiently extracting hydrogen from LOHCs like methylcyclohexane (MCH) still remains a challenge.
Monash University and its development partner, SMU Airrane, a Korean company that is a global leader in membrane commercialisation, are developing a semi-pilot membrane system that could finally crack the code and adds that this could unlock hydrogen export across shipping routes and make clean hydrogen cheaper for industries.
This project uses a clever combination of custom-built membranes and catalysts to extract hydrogen at low temperatures, which means it’s cheaper, safer and uses much less energy than current methods.
Early proof-of-concept work at Monash University, has already shown this approach can work.
The Australian Government’s Global Connections Fund – Bridging Grants program is now expected to take the technology to the next level – scaling it up and testing it under real-world conditions.
The pilot hydrogen release system project will be tested at Monash University and CSIRO’s new Membrane Pilot Facility.
Director of the Monash Centre for Membrane Innovation, Professor Matthew Hill, said while hydrogen is key to the clean energy transition, transporting it is a major challenge.
“We believe our membrane system is the missing link to supply-chain success – a way to cleanly and efficiently release hydrogen at the point of use, without relying on complex high-temperature processes,” Professor Hill said.
“Let’s say Australia produces hydrogen using solar power, and instead of liquefying or compressing it, we bond the hydrogen to a liquid carrier and send it off in regular fuel tankers, the same ones already used in the oil industry.
“Once it arrives, our system unlocks the hydrogen on-site and the empty carrier liquid is returned and reused. It’s clean, efficient and uses infrastructure we already have,” he said
Professor Hill said solving the transport challenge is just as important as producing green hydrogen, drawing on Australia’s LNG industry which he says was built by prioritising export capability first, eventually leading to more affordable local use.
“We believe this technology could forge a similar path to growing Australia’s clean hydrogen industry,” the Professor said.
“Australia’s success with LNG shows that focusing on exports first may help build the infrastructure and scale needed to bring down costs for local production over time,” he added
The University says the global LOHC market is projected to exceed $AUD 7.57 billion (USD 5 billion) by 2030, with growing demand in transport, shipping, aerospace and industrial hydrogen systems.
Monash says the project is expected to be completed in 2026.
