Perspective on Decarbonizing Long-Haul Trucks Using Onboard Dehydrogenation of Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers

Decarbonization of long-haul trucks, which are the backboneofglobal supply chains, is necessary to meet climate goals. Currently,battery electric and conventional hydrogen powertrains are not cost-competitivesolutions against diesel. Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers (LOHCs)are a promising fuel option that benefits from synergies with existingretail fuel distribution infrastructure, providing a cost-effectiveway to transport hydrogen energy. LOHCs are now used to deliver hydrogengas to refueling stations, where it is then compressed and used tofuel trucks. However, this approach incurs & SIM;50% energy lossfrom the endothermic dehydrogenation and compression of hydrogen.We discuss an alternative concept based on onboard hydrogen releaseto address these pain points. We highlight recent advances in dehydrogenationreactor design, catalyst technologies, and hydrogen combustion enginesthat are relevant to the proposed system. Deficiencies in currenttechnologies are discussed, along with potential research directionsto address them. Initial analysis shows that the LOHC option, chargedwith blue hydrogen, achieves rough cost parity with diesel. The estimatedwell-to-wheel greenhouse gas emissions for this option are approximatelyone-third of diesel. Based on our analysis, LOHC-powered trucks featuringonboard dehydrogenation are a promising option to decarbonize long-haultrucking. However, making this option a reality will require dedicatedstudy and development of core components for the power-dense, efficient,and robust onboard release of hydrogen from LOHCs along with efficientheat integration between the engine and the dehydrogenation reactor.

Automated summary

The alternative concept of onboard hydrogen release shows promise in decarbonizing long-haul trucking, achieving cost parity with diesel and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, further research and development are needed to optimize the efficiency and integration of core components.