According to the experience of natural gas development, convenient and inexpensive storage and transportation methods are the key links for hydrogen to become a bulk energy, so how to reduce the cost of hydrogen storage and transportation is a prerequisite for the large-scale application of hydrogen. The cost of domestic electrolysis hydrogen production equipment and fuel cell equipment has decreased rapidly, and the path of cost reduction is relatively clearOnly hydrogen storage and transportation equipment** has remained high for a long time. At present, the domestic hydrogen energy transportation cost accounts for as much as 40% to 50% of the terminal selling price of hydrogen energy, and the storage and transportation link has become the last cost barrier in the "production, storage, transportation and use".
This article will focus on how to break through the problems of hydrogen storage and transportation and what characteristics leading enterprises should have from three aspects: the difficulties and breakthrough directions of hydrogen storage and transportation, the market potential of hydrogen storage and transportation, and the core of market competition.
1. Two major problems in hydrogen transportation
Hydrogen storage and transportation includes hydrogen transportation and terminal hydrogen storage. The cost of hydrogen storage and transportation is not reflected in all links, and it can be considered that the dawn of medium and long-distance hydrogen storage and transportation has appeared, and short-distance transportation continues to be explored.
According to the practice of hydrogen transportation in the "two barrels of oil" pipeline, the cost of transporting 100 kilometers of hydrogen per kilogram is 05 yuan, which means that in the future, the cost of hydrogen from Inner Mongolia to Beijing will be basically 3-4 yuan. In addition, hydrogen-based fuels such as liquid ammonia and methanol also provide an alternative for transporting hydrogen by sea. In this context, Hydrogen Cloud Chain believes that the current hydrogen storage and transportation problems are mainly reflected inShort-distance hydrogen transportation and terminal hydrogen storageTwo links.
1. Hydrogen transportation problems. Various technologies for hydrogen storage and transportation have their own advantages and disadvantages, and it can be seen from Figure 1 that hydrogen transportation exists at this stageEquipment costs, transportation costs, conversion costsThe "Impossible Triangle".
Long-distance transportationInfrastructureConstruction is slow, and short-distance transportation is difficult to reduce costs. Although there is a long period of infrastructure construction and high investment in long-distance transportation, the direction has been clear. However, there is no ideal technical approach and solution for short-distance transportation. At present, high-pressure gaseous hydrogen transportation is the main short-distance transportation mode, and how to reduce the equipment cost and transportation of high-pressure gaseous state has become the key.
Therefore, the hydrogen cloud chain believes thatAt this stage, the problem of hydrogen storage and transportation can be alleviated but difficult to completely solve, especially in the short-distance transportation link.
Figure 1 The "impossible triangle" of equipment cost, transportation cost, and conversion cost
Hydrogen cloud chain.
2. The problem of hydrogen carrying in terminal applications. As shown in Figure 2, the hydrogen storage container for terminal applications has the problem of "pure hydrogen is easy to use and not easy to carry, and hydrogen-based fuel is easy to carry and not easy to use", and there is a contradiction between the cost and convenience of hydrogen storage equipment layout and hydrogen application.
The fact that high-pressure gas cylinders have become the most common terminal hydrogen storage mode is the result of a compromise between cost, ease of use, safety, technology maturity and other factors. The ideal terminal hydrogen storage scheme still needs to be further explored.
Fig.2 Hydrogen carrying problems in end-use applications.
Hydrogen cloud chain.
3. Type IV hydrogen storage cylinder is a breakthrough. AgainstShort-distance hydrogen transportation and terminal hydrogen carryingTwo link problems,Hydrogen Cloud Chain believes that there are two breakthrough points:
Key Breakthrough Point (1).: Increase the amount of hydrogen transported at a time at the transportation end. Short-distance transportation is the core reason for the high sales of hydrogen at the terminal station, and it has become the core breakthrough point at this stage. Since the weight of hydrogen carried by hydrogen trucks is much smaller than the weight of the vehicle (the current transportation efficiency of 20MPa long-tube trailers is about 1%), improving the quality of hydrogen has little impact on transportation costs, so increasing the single hydrogen transportation volume can effectively reduce the unit price of hydrogen transportation. At present, increasing the transportation pressure and large-scale storage and transportation equipment are the main ways to improve the hydrogen storage of hydrogen transportation vehicles.
Key Breakthrough Point (2):Reduce weight and cost on the device side. Increasing the carrying weight of terminal hydrogen, reducing the volume of hydrogen storage equipment, and reducing equipment costs are the three keys to improving the competitiveness of hydrogen energy terminal applications. If the weight of the Type III bottle is too large, it will have a significant impact on the performance of the hydrogen drone. The cost reduction speed of the on-board hydrogen storage system is far behind that of the fuel cell, and the cost of the fuel cell has reached 1 3 or even 1 2, which seriously hinders the cost reduction of the whole vehicle.
Type IV bottles have outstanding advantages in hydrogen storage density, lightweight, cost, and life, and have become the key development direction of the two key breakthrough points, and are expected to replace type IV bottles and type III bottles in short-distance hydrogen transportation and terminal hydrogen loading, and become the mainstream of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage and transportation.
2. What is the market size of hydrogen storage tanks?
In 2021, the global demand for hydrogen reached more than 94 million tons, and the size of China's hydrogen market is about 33 million tons. According to 15 yuan kg of hydrogen, the global market size reaches 15 trillion yuan. By 2050, the global demand for hydrogen will exceed 500 million tons, and the size of China's hydrogen market will exceed 100 million tons. According to the hydrogen **10 yuan kilogram, the global market size reached 5 trillion.
The huge hydrogen supply and demand market corresponds to the huge demand for hydrogen transportation equipment. The broad market prospect has driven many companies to continue to deepen the hydrogen storage market.
A hydrogen storage tank company told the hydrogen cloud chain: "Just considering the hydrogen energy transportation scenario, the market size of hydrogen storage bottles can reach the level of 100 billion. The company believes that by 2030, a 100 billion vehicle hydrogen storage bottle market and a 200 billion hydrogen energy storage market will be formed, of which it is expected that by 2030, the number of hydrogen energy vehicles will be 1.5 million, and hydrogen energy vehicles will demand 150,000 tons of hydrogen, which will be converted into about 5 million high-pressure hydrogen storage bottles.
Even relatively conservative institutions estimate the market size of hydrogen storage containers to reach the level of 100 billion. According to data from overseas institutions Research and Markets, the hydrogen pressure vessel market will reach $19.8 billion in 2030, and the compound annual growth rate will be as high as 50 percent from 2023 to 20309%。
3. How to seize the market?
According to the experience of the natural gas industry, both long-tube trailers and on-board pressure vessels have a high market concentration. In fact, the current hydrogen storage container market has a high degree of concentration, and the phenomenon of "fast fish eating slow fish" is more obvious.
Finally, how to break through the enterprise IV bottle market and how to seize the opportunity? Hydrogen Cloud Chain believes that under the premise of ensuring product safety, it will gain an advantage in the early market with the characteristics of "three fast".
Dose fast. Safety is the lifeline of pressure vessels, and practice is the only criterion for testing products. In close cooperation with downstream terminal manufacturers, companies that quickly complete large-scale verification in the early stage of the overall entry of type IV bottles into the market are expected to lead the industry. For example, the annual output of tens of thousands of Type IV hydrogen storage tank production lines of enterprises such as Plastic Omnium Blue Energy is ready to go.
Fast response. With abundant application scenarios and diverse models, companies that can quickly respond to customer demand for different types of products are expected to take the lead in segmentation and extend their advantages to other models and scenarios. For example, Sinoma has achieved a monopoly in the UAV market.
Reduce costs quickly. Cost is an eternal topic in the manufacturing industry, and the cost reduction speed of hydrogen storage containers will quickly become the core of market competition, and enterprises with material advantages and equipment advantages are expected to obtain cost advantages.
Editor: Hydrogen Hydrogen My Heart Proofreading: Wind Hydrogen Yang Review: Hydrogen Cloud Little Fairy.
*: Beijing Business Daily, hydrogen cloud chain finishing.
Statement: The content of the article is for reference only, and does not mean that Hydrogen Cloud Chain agrees with its views or confirms its description.