Liquefying hydrogen to make it easier to transport

Published on June 12, 2026

3 minutes

Did you know that one liquid hydrogen truck can replace up to 16 trailers of gaseous hydrogen? That’s the point of cryogenic liquefaction: being able to store a sufficient amount of energy in a limited space without sacrificing capacity. A key challenge for road, maritime, and air transport, for which every cubic meter counts.

Liquefaction: how does it work?

When produced—whether by electrolysis, steam reforming, autothermal reforming, or ammonia cracking—hydrogen is usually in gaseous form.

However, to make it easier to transport, hydrogen must be in liquid form. The use of liquid hydrogen makes it possible to radically streamline the supply chain: a single truck carrying 3.6 tons of liquid hydrogen is equivalent to 16 trucks carrying compressed gas at 200 bar or 5 trucks carrying gas at 300 bar.

This is where liquefaction comes in—a process based on cryogenics that converts gaseous hydrogen into a liquid. Watch the video to learn about the different steps involved.

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Liquid hydrogen, crucial for mobility

  • Optimized supply chain

    The efficiency of the distribution supply chain relies on the deployment of advanced technologies, such as Air Liquide’s innovative Advanced Delivery System. This solution is specifically designed to control the molecule in its liquid state and reduce the evaporation rate ("boil-off") during transfer operations. It thus maximizes the amount of energy transported per tanker, streamlining the number of trips required on the roads.

  • Fueling stations

    The integration of liquid hydrogen into these stations combines a small footprint with high operational versatility. This architecture enables direct and rapid refueling (Liquid-to-Liquid) for heavy-duty vehicles equipped with cryogenic tanks, while also offering high-pressure vaporization refueling (Liquid-to-Gas) for standard vehicles, thereby optimizing the overall infrastructure investment.

  • Onboard performance

    Thanks to its high volumetric energy density, onboard liquid hydrogen storage offers a technical solution well-suited to the challenges of heavy-duty mobility. This cryogenic format helps limit the weight and bulk of storage systems, thereby helping to maintain payload capacity and extend range. It stands as a viable alternative to support the energy transition of long-haul trucks, ships, and aircraft.

  • Maritime transport and bunkering

    On a larger scale, the cryogenic format is emerging as the preferred solution for the intercontinental transport of hydrogen, effectively connecting energy-producing regions with major global consumption hubs. In addition to this mode of transport, liquid hydrogen can be integrated into port infrastructure through bunkering operations, which enable large-scale, rapid energy transfers to optimize port call times for commercial fleets.

Major projects worldwide

Air Liquide relies on large production facilities, such as its liquefaction plant in North Las Vegas, United States, which produces 30 tons of liquid hydrogen per day for the mobility sector in California.

In South Korea, the Group also supplied the equipment and technology licenses for a plant with a daily production capacity of 90 tons of liquid hydrogen.

Furthermore, this technology has proven its effectiveness over time. In operation since 1987, the Waziers site in France—a pioneer for the Group—produces 10 tons of liquid hydrogen per day.