Project owner and technology provider Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies plans to construct the world’s largest liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) hydrogen release plant.

The “Green Hydrogen @ Blue Danube” initiative, which was awarded €72m ($84m) in EU, national, and regional funding, will be built at the Bayernoil refinery in Bavaria, Germany.

Green hydrogen is expected to replace grey hydrogen currently produced from natural gas at the plant, reducing up to 16,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

The German engineering firm will carry out the FEED phase until H2 2026, culminating in a final investment decision (FID). If approved, then Griesemann will move straight into the EPCM stage, overseeing construction and commissioning.

Commercial operations are scheduled to begin in mid-2028.

H2 View understands that the project could be scaled further through a potential expansion of the dehydrogenation plant.

“Launching the FEED phase is a strong sign of scaling up our LOHC technology to an industrial level – and will kick-start the implementation of the first commercial LOHC value chain of a material size,” Dr Stefan Bürkle said, Hydrogenious’ Chief Operating Officer.

“The storage and release plants combined will demonstrate how hydrogen can be stored, transported, and supplied safely and efficiently – decarbonising industries and ensuring security of hydrogen supply.”

The project is also part of Hydrogenious’ broader LOHC Link concept, connecting its “Hector” storage plant in North Rhine-Westphalia with the Vohburg, Bavaria, release plant.

It has been notified as an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) and is receiving German federal and Bavarian state funding.

Hydrogenious’ LOHC-BT technology binds hydrogen to the thermal oil benzyltoluene, allowing it to be transported and stored safely at ambient temperature and pressure using existing fuel infrastructure.

Hydrogen is bound through an exothermic hydrogenation process and released through an endothermic dehydrogenation reaction.

While LOHCs offer a safe and scalable transport solution, critics note energy efficiency losses during hydrogen release remain a key challenge to commercial deployment.