After a well-deserved summer break, we are full of energy to continue our mission – the development of safe hydrogen technologies and the transition to a greener and climate-neutral society by 2050.
If the hydrogen movement is to be realised at the speed and scale required, then key barriers, in particular safety issues, need to be overcome. Hydrogen safety continues to be a priority for R&D activities undertaken by the FCH JU. The documents recently launched by the European Hydrogen Safety Panel (EHSP) demonstrate our efforts to foster a safety culture and minimise the number of safety hazards. Years of research, experience and close collaboration with the EHSP allowed us to reach a promising conclusion today: Hydrogen systems can be as safe as systems based on conventional energy carriers, provided the specific properties of hydrogen and the hydrogen system are properly addressed. To this end, it is important to disseminate knowledge, competence and safety culture to all stakeholders in the technological value chain.
We focused our September issue around the safety topic. Reading further, you will get the opportunity to learn how our projects MARANDA, FLAGSHIPS, ShipFC, HyShip, HEAVENN and e-SHyIPS are promoting research to develop and integrate efficient and safe hydrogen-powered fuel cells on ships and boats.
The European Hydrogen Safety Panel (EHSP) has published a new guidance document for the Safety Planning and Management in EU hydrogen and fuel cell projects and the Analysis of safety data and events contained in the HIAD 2.0...
Projects in Belgium are pioneering hydrogen based technology in our streets, homes and businesses. In Antwerp, hydrogen powered fuel cell refuse trucks are being rolled out for quieter, cleaner rubbish collection. Thanks to another project, a family has switched to a cost efficient, low carbon heating and power system.
The Clean Air Hydrogen Bus Pilot has been funded through OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles), GBSLEP (Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership), Birmingham City Council and JIVE project funding from the FCH JU (European Funding from the Fuel Cell Hydrogen Joint Undertaking) under grant agreement No 735582.
McPhy will provide a dual pressure station and a refuelling interface for pressurised hydrogen cylinders to the R-Hynoca production site in Strasbourg, France.
Grimsby, a port town of North East Lincolnshire in the UK, has been selected for an innovative marinised electrolyser project for renewable hydrogen production. The project will also investigate the potential of using pipelines to transport hydrogen to shore.
A Spanish green hydrogen consortium has started the construction of a 8.59-MWp solar PV plant on the island of Mallorca, one of several sub-projects within the island-wide Green Hysland initiative.
To tackle safety aspects, the European Commission tasked its public-private partnership, the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), with establishing an expert panel to ensure that “hydrogen safety is adequately addressed and managed.”
This story is part of H2 View’s monthly Women in Hydrogen series, created in partnership with the Women in Green Hydrogen (WiGH) network, which profiles women in the hydrogen industry. This month’s interview is with Mirela Atanasiu, Head of Operations and Communications at FCH JU.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS: Navigating the complex requirements in the use of hydrogen for maritime applications
fch, 27.09.2021
The maritime sector includes activities as varied as cruise-boat tourism, freight shipping, and ferry transport. However, the pressure its emissions exert on the environment is increasing rapidly. The FCH JU is promoting research to develop and integrate efficient and safe hydrogen-powered fuel cells on ships and boats[1] as a mean to decarbonise this sector.
MARANDA, FLAGSHIPS, ShipFC, HyShip and HEAVENN are five demonstration projects supported by FCH JU that develop, integrate and trial the use of fuel cells [Proton-exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM) or Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)] using ammonia or hydrogen on-board various maritime and fluvial vessels.
These five projects share common topics, such as hydrogen safety, vessel permit implementation, infrastructure and standards for zero emission fuels bunkering. In addition, project e-SHyIPS is a Pre-Normative Research project, investigating experimental data on ship design, safety systems, material and components and bunkering procedures for hydrogen. Its ultimate objective is to contribute to guidelines for safe design for the new IGF[2] chapter on hydrogen.
The projects have collaborated as well with HySafe and CEN/CENELEC Working Group on Hydrogen for maritime to support the development of an appropriate Pre-Normative Research (PNR).
Relevant progress on fuel cells and the use of hydrogen on-board vessels has been recently published:
- IMO committee Carriage of Cargoes and Containers (CCC7) (6-10 September 2021) endorsed the Draft interim guidelines for ships using fuel cells agreed by Sub-Committee, scheduled to be approved by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in April 2022 and will develop guidelines for the safety of ships using hydrogen as fuel
[1] The results could help to slash CO2 emissions by a minimum of 50 % by 2050, target defined by the International Maritime Organization
[2] International Code of Safety for Ship Using Gases or Other Low-flashpoint Fuels
The FCH JU has been committed to fostering a robust safety culture and since 2017 it is working with a group of 15 experts – the European Hydrogen Safety Panel, to support a safe and friction-less deployment for hydrogen systems. The EHSP webpages provide access to reports, analysis, presentations and other reliable resources on hydrogen safety.
Recently, the EHSP has published two new reference documents:
- Since mid-2020, the EHSP analysed 485 events reported in the existing database the EHSP, out of which 426 were considered as statistically relevant
- 80% of the incidents considered were initiated by a hydrogen system while the remaining 20% incidents were related to non-hydrogen systems
- The chemical and petrochemical industry has by far the largest share of the incidents with 62% (259 events); it is followed by hydrogen transport and distribution with 10% (43 events) and nuclear power plants with 6% (23 events)
- Organization and management factors were identified as one of the key responsible factors for nearly160 events; over 120 events were caused by design errors and material/manufacturing errors, while job factors rank third among the root causes of hydrogen events (approx. 90 events)
The Europe-wide public consultation is part of the agenda process, which started in 2021 as a pilot initiative of the new European Research Area (ERA), and which brings together science, industry, civil society and public administration with the aim to build an inter- and transdisciplinary European green hydrogen community.
European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) launches an EU-wide visualisation platform for low-carbon and renewable hydrogen projects.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Hydrogen Council, a global CEO coalition, has partnered to jointly advance green hydrogen across the energy system and contribute to net zero goals globally.
Ukraine is eyeing the hydrogen opportunity as the country looks to decarbonise. Ukrainian Hydrogen Council and UBTA joint partnership. To support the branching into hydrogen energy, the Ukrainian Hydrogen Council and the Ukrainian Business and Trade Association have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop hydrogen production.
The need to regulate hydrogen transport networks is becoming increasingly urgent, but legislation needs to be designed in a way to give the market flexibility to overcome the challenges ahead, writes Noé van Hulst. Noé van Hulst is the chair of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel....
The Munich-based premium player has developed a hydrogen prototype car based on its X5 SUV, in a project already partly funded by the German government. Jürgen Guldner, the BMW vice president who heads up the hydrogen fuel-cell car programme, told Reuters the carmaker would build a test fleet of close to 100 cars in 2022.
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