Comparative study of regulations, codes and standards and practices on hydrogen fuelling stations

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.02.158

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy

Volume 42, Issue 11, 16 March 2017, Pages 7429-7439

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.02.158 Get rights and content

Abstract

This work deals with a comparative study of regulations, codes and standards for hydrogen fuelling station dedicated for light duty land vehicles in the following countries: United States (California), United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Spain.

The following technical components of a hydrogen fuelling station are included in the scope of the study: the hydrogen storage systems (cryogenic or compressed gases) and buffer storage, the compressor stations, the high pressure buffer storage, the cooling systems for hydrogen, the dispensing equipments and the dispensing area. The hydride storage, the pipelines, on site production and the hydrogen vehicle have been excluded.

The analysis, performed in September 2014 in a report from INERIS DRA-14-141532-06227C BENCHMARK STATIONS-SERVICE HYDROGENE, is based on documents collected by bibliographic review and information obtained through a questionnaire sent to authorities and IA HySafe [1] members in the above mentioned countries.

This paper gives a synthesis of the regulations and on permitting process in the different studied countries (including the new European Directive on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in Europe [2]), it develops the required safety barriers in the different parts of a fuelling station and specially for the dispensing area, gives an overview of the different approaches for safety distances and processes to obtain licences to operate.

Introduction

Alternative fuels like hydrogen have several environmental benefits; anyway they have to prove their economic interest and technical maturity while the regulatory framework is still missing in many countries and is still far away to be harmonized.

Research and technological developments have led to successful demonstrations of alternative fuel solutions for all transport modes. In relation to this topic, INERIS, performed a comparative study of regulations, professional guides and applicable standards in other countries [3]. The objective was to highlight the practices in other countries in the field of prevention or limitation of major accidents in hydrogen fuelling station.

The aim was to answer the following questions:

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What are the regulations and best practices regarding the design, setting up and operating of hydrogen fuelling stations? In particular:
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Which safety barriers are required or recommended for hydrogen fuelling stations to prevent or reduce the effects of fires or explosions?
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What are the safety distances of the hydrogen fuelling stations from other installations?
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Are there different processes for obtaining a licence to operate a hydrogen fuelling station? Which governmental organization or private agency is responsible for the enforcement of the regulations?

The benchmark was targeted on countries that have already hydrogen fuelling stations and associated regulations: the USA (California), the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Spain. France was not targeted, as far as the study was realized for the French administration previewing to establish a regulatory frame in the future. Asia could not be included due to a lack of information. (see Fig. 1)

Hydrogen is a universal energy carrier and can be produced from primary energy sources as well as from renewable energies. As transport fuel it could integrate renewable energies in the transport sector, reduce CO₂ emissions and micro particles.

In order to establish a regulatory framework for the distribution of hydrogen, the purpose of the study were to:

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Enhance safety hydrogen knowledge on fuelling station technologies,
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Identify the key legislations,
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Highlight main safety barriers.

The report will be used by French competent authorities. It will also be made available to the public to inform stakeholders and increase public confidence.

The study covers the delivery of hydrogen, its storage in the station until the distribution zone. (see Fig. 2)

The onsite production of hydrogen, storage in hydride form and the delivery by pipeline or trucks are excluded. Here it should be noted that there is a clear difference between “hydrogen storage” previewed for long and midterm storage almost limited to 300 bar and “buffer storage” used for high pressure storage up to 1100 bar in particular covered by the committee draft ISO CD 19884 [5] actually in preparation.

Section snippets

Methodology

In order to identify the key legislation, INERIS conducted in a first part a bibliographic search to identify regulatory documents, standards and professional guides.

To complete the information, a questionnaire was sent to around 60 contacts composed of authorities and IA HySafe [1] members: (see Fig. 3)

The questionnaire, detailed in Table 1, was focused on:

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The identification of main regulations and best practices in each country related to hydrogen fuelling stations;
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Reviewing the safety

Main conclusions of the survey

The following main conclusions were drawn from the analysis of the twelve received questionnaires:

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Apart from the case of Italy, no national regulation specific to hydrogen fuelling stations was mention by the respondents. In Italy, a decree [7] published in 2006; specifies the requirements for fire prevention of such facilities.
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Some countries have no specific regulation but have their own technical guidelines. This is the case of Canada and Germany with the Canadian Hydrogen Installation Code

Regulatory and legal context

Several regulations are applicable to fuelling stations without being specific to them. The European directives, such as ATEX, and those relative to pressurized equipment, to electromagnetic compatibility and requirements for machinery or standards relative to cryogenic tanks can be cited. These texts were identified, but were not in the scope of this study.

The study has been focused on specific regulation, codes and standards that deal with hydrogen fuelling stations in their whole or for

Description of analysis

Safety measures were gathered in a benchmark (available on INERIS website [3]) issued from 12 documents, which also indicate what aspects they consider.

In the report, the prescriptions about different items were identified and compared. It is described here how the instructions are presented and the analysis realized. The measures are divided into three categories:

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Prescriptions relating to fuelling stations in general and equipment outside of the dispensing zone;
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Safety distances;
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Specific

Conclusion

This comparative study had the objective of identifying main regulations and best practices in various countries related to hydrogen fuelling stations, reviewing the safety barriers required for fuelling stations and identifying lessons learnt on the technology in terms of safety.

So far, only Italy has adopted a national specific regulation on hydrogen fuelling stations. The other countries widely rely on existing international standards. The standardization framework is rapidly evolving in

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy Transport and Sustained Development and especially the General Directorate for Risk Prevention (DGPR) for the financial grant in the scope of the DRA-71 program.

References (24)

International association on hydrogen safety;...
Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative...
INERIS published a report on the topic hydrogen fueling stations benchmark on its website:...
Statistical analysis based on...
ISO/CD 19884 gaseous hydrogen - cylinders and tubes for stationary storage: Standard under development, specifies the...
The Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) was established in December 2002 as a joint initiative of government and industry...
D.M. 31st of August 2006, Fire prevention technical rule for gaseous hydrogen refuelling stations (O.J. of the Italian...
Canadian Hydrogen Installation Code : Code to establish the installation requirements for hydrogen generating...
ISO/TS 20100:2008 Specify the characteristics of outdoor public and non-public fuelling stations that dispense gaseous...
ISO 17268:2012 Defines the design, safety and operation characteristics of gaseous hydrogen land vehicle (GHLV)...

Gaseous hydrogen stations, IGC Doc 15/06/E, Revision of Doc 15/96 and Doc 15/05, European industrial gases association...

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