Is Hydrogen Sweet? The Future of Energy Storage

Does hydrogen taste sweet? We will likely never know, as hydrogen is not an energy source intended for consumption. And yet, “sweetness” is playing an increasingly important role in research surrounding sustainable energy storage. At Forschungszentrum Jülich, scientists are working on a new generation of chemical hydrogen storage systems known as “Sweet-LOHC.” These liquid organic hydrogen carriers are based on biogenic residues, such as plant waste from agriculture or sugar production. This means that, of all things, the sugar beet could play a key role in the energy world of tomorrow.

LOHC technologies make it possible to store and transport hydrogen in a similar way to conventional liquid fuels. The carrier liquid can absorb hydrogen and release it again when needed without being consumed itself. These new, biogenic variants go one step further: they are not only more sustainable to produce, but also more efficient to use.

A decisive breakthrough lies in the use of cost-effective catalysts. While expensive precious metals were often required in the past, copper is sufficient for the new systems to release the hydrogen and at lower temperatures. This saves both energy and costs. Prof. Regina Palkovits, Director at the Institute for a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy and member of JARA-ENERGY, is among those working on the development of these innovative catalysts.

The potential for application in the agricultural sector is particularly exciting: hydrogen carriers could be produced directly on-site from waste materials, loaded with green hydrogen, and subsequently used as fuel for agricultural machinery. After use, the carrier is recharged, a closed loop that opens up new paths for energetic self-sufficiency.

Further information on the project is available on the Forschungszentrum Jülich website: https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/news/archive/press-release/2026/sweet-lohc