Perspective on the Technology Status of Chemical Hydrogen Carriers for Ship‐Based Energy Import

ABSTRACT The transport of hydrogen for the import of renewable energy will play an important role for the highly industrialized regions in Europe to meet their energy needs. As the storage and transportation of neat hydrogen comes with considerable downsides with respect to energy density and infrastructure compatibility, chemical hydrogen carriers are a promising concept to enable large‐scale hydrogen import. This perspective discusses the advantages, limitations and current technology readiness levels of chemical hydrogen carriers for intercontinental transport by ship. In terms of rapid scale‐up and market entry, ammonia and methanol are the most promising short‐term options. If the market for chemical hydrogen carriers grows as expected, it is likely that chemical hydrogen carriers optimized for certain applications will coexist, optimizing the individual value chains.