Innovation

How blue hydrogen is produced and transported - and its potential role in motorsport

May 09, 2025

by Samarth Kanal

8min read

The world's energy demands continue to grow and Aramco is exploring ways to address those needs while taking into account greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This is where hydrogen comes into play.

Hydrogen can have potential to be used as a lower-emission energy source for heating, power production and heavy-duty logistics.

Aramco sees potential in large-scale and cost-efficient hydrogen production - but how is hydrogen produced and how can it be transported safely and effectively?

How is Aramco exploring the uses of hydrogen?

Hydrogen could be a valuable asset in the world’s transition towards a future mix of energy sources including lower-carbon energy sources. It emits fewer greenhouse gases when burned while being combustible enough to be used in various energy-intensive industries.

Despite being the most abundant element in the universe by far, hydrogen is not freely available in the form of gas - H2 - as is required for industrial and domestic use.

Therefore, hydrogen needs to be extracted from other compounds.

Aramco’s R&D centre in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia

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One of the most common methods of hydrogen extraction is natural gas reforming or steam reforming. This is when high-temperature steam is reacted with methane at specific pressures to produce hydrogen gas plus carbon monoxide.

The carbon monoxide and steam are then reacted together with a catalyst to produce CO2 and more hydrogen. CO2 and other compounds are then removed, captured and stored, or used in other industries such as fuel and plastic production - leaving hydrogen.

Hydrogen produced using this method is known as ‘blue hydrogen’- the key feature being the capture and storage of generated CO2, thereby mitigating its environmental impact.

The Shaybah Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) recovery plant in Saudi Arabia

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Using blue ammonia to transport hydrogen

Storing and shipping hydrogen is a challenge in itself; hydrogen is an element with relatively low energy density when in gaseous form. In order to be transported more efficiently, hydrogen needs to be compressed to improve that density, which is an expensive and energy demanding process.

Ammonia (NH3) - which is three parts hydrogen and one part nitrogen - is easier and safer to transport than hydrogen given it is denser, less flammable and benefits from an existing production and supply infrastructure.

In 2020, Aramco and the Institute of Energy Economics in Japan successfully shipped 40 tonnes of blue ammonia – which, like blue hydrogen, is produced using a process whereby generated CO2 is captured - to Japan, where it was used in power plants.

Ammonia is an effective storage and transportation medium for hydrogen

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This shipment demonstrated the value of blue ammonia in the storage and transportation of hydrogen. The associated 50 tonnes of CO2 emissions were captured and either injected into oil wells to enhance oil production or used to make methanol.

Furthermore, in 2022, Aramco and SABIC Agri-Nutrients shipped 25,000 tonnes of blue ammonia to South Korea, making this the world's first commercial shipment of blue ammonia.

Aramco continues to explore ways to transport blue hydrogen and blue ammonia while also studying ways to convert blue ammonia back into hydrogen.

Aramco is working to contributing to the world's growing energy needs - and a transition to a lower-carbon future.

How can hydrogen be applied in motorsport?

Currently, the only major motorsport series to use hydrogen to fuel its cars is the FIA Extreme H World Cup, which is scheduled to make its debut in 2025.

The Pioneer 25 racing car is equipped with two two-kilogramme hydrogen tanks. It can reach a top speed of 200km/h with a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds.

When commissioned in 2026, the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project is aimed to produce around 600 tonnes of green hydrogen per day using electrolysis powered by onshore solar, wind and storage.

A render of the Pioneer 25, Extreme H’s new-for-2025 hydrogen racing car

ENOWA’s hydrogen plant is also expected to be utilised to create synthetic fuels.

In 2023, Aramco and ENOWA signed a joint development agreement to construct a first-of-its-kind synthetic electro fuel demonstration plant at ENOWA’s Hydrogen Innovation and Development Center (HIDC), aiming to produce 35 barrels of lower-carbon synthetic gasoline from renewable-based hydrogen and captured carbon dioxide.

Hydrogen is also being utilised by the Forze Hydrogen Racing team - a student-led initiative from Netherlands’ Delft University of Technology - that has built its own hydrogen-powered racing car for competitive use.

The team launched Forze IX - its 800 horsepower prototype car - in 2021.

Other racing series such as NASCAR have also begun to explore the efficacy of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, in an effort to apply lower-carbon fuel to its cars.

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