Design of the Colombian Hydrogen Supply Chain for Exporting

The global energy landscape is undergoing a transformative shift towards renewable sources in an effort to reduce emissions and limit global temperature increase to 1.5 °C by 2050. In this context, hydrogen (H2) has emerged as a promising alternative, offering a clean energy solution, more efficient than traditional fuels producing low to zero emissions, and with versatile applications across various sectors. Aligned with this global objective, Colombia committed in 2020 to reduce its projected polluting emissions by 51 % by 2030. To achieve this ambitious goal, the national government is actively engaged in an energy transition, gradually replacing a significant portion of fossil fuels with renewable energy sources and integrating H2 as an energy vector to decarbonize its energy matrix. Colombia's geographical conditions present promising opportunities for the clean production of H2. As a significant player in this shift, it stands at a pivotal point, poised to explore and potentially export the energy carrier on a global scale. This exportation includes not only pure H2 but also its main forms or derivatives such as ammonia, methanol, and liquid organic H2 carriers (LOHCs). This strategic move could provide Colombia with a competitive advantage over other nations incorporating these technologies into their growth strategies.
So far, research efforts have been predominantly focused on studying primary sources for obtaining H2, developing alternatives for the production and storage of low-emission H2, and calculating techno-economic factors for supply chain configurations mainly directed to the transportation sector. On the other hand, despite Colombia's energy potential, there is still a high level of uncertainty around technical aspects to fullfil the intended projects, as well as around the development of public-private projects and policies to meet domestic demand for the transportation sector as the primary objective of the energy transition. Hence, the analysis of an export logistics process for H2 becomes a compelling opportunity for changing the economic system. Thus, the central question guiding this research revolves around the design of an efficient supply chain for H2 in Colombia, specifically shaped for exportation. This analysis encompasses the identification of optimal distribution nodes, the design of transportation routes linking those nodes to ports, and the assessment of economic viability and efficiency within the proposed supply framework. The methodology proposed to achieve this objective consists of three phases: (i) qualitative data collection of the Colombian energy matrix with emphasis on the current state of the ports and the H2 distribution and/or collection centers, (ii) development of multi-objective algorithms for modeling configuration designs, and (iii) formulation of alternatives for strategic decision making.