The National Hydrogen Association held a Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards Workshop on Friday May 30 at the University of Maryland Inn and Conference Center in Adelphi, Maryland. 37 persons participated. Click here for an attendance list (95Kb PDF).

The Workshop was sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies, Air Products and Chemicals, and General Motors.

Karen Miller welcomed participants and thanked the sponsors (see photo, left). She then described the need for industry consensus standards in hydrogen energy technologies, and the NHA’s role in facilitating the development of needed standards. The NHA has a diverse group of members, including fuel cell and electrolyser developers, automotive manufacturers, energy providers, universities and research organizations, industrial gas suppliers, and many others. All are dedicated to commercializing hydrogen energy systems. The development of codes and standards removes significant barriers to commercialization.

Ms. Miller then described the process the NHA uses to determine which activities to work on. The NHA polls its members on what they perceive to be the issues of highest priority in the 2-5 year time frame. In other words, the NHA’s members choose what will be worked on. Through this process the NHA is able to determine if any hydrogen safety issues are being overlooked. Utilizing the breadth of knowledge contained within the membership allows the NHA to develop a draft document with appropriate technical merit that can be advance through larger standards organizations.

The main objective of the NHA C&S Process is to identify area where codes and standards for the safe use of hydrogen energy systems are needed. The NHA would like to be a coordinator in this process. Only when hydrogen safety issues are not being properly addresses is when the NHA would want to initiate new standard. Collaboration with other groups such as ISO TC-197, IEC TC-105, NFPA, ICC, SAE and others is preferred. Therefore, many NHA Codes and Standards working groups are formed to coordinate with these SDOs, and provide a forum for the hydrogen community to provide technical assistance to their activities. In this way, NHA members can be kept updated on developments without necessarily participating in the SDO activities directly, and the NHA can enable the SDOs access to a broader array of technical data and experts to enable the smooth development of the codes and standards as they pertain to hydrogen energy systems.

The NHA holds two Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards Workshops annually. Each is unique. The purpose of this workshop is to update the hydrogen community at large about ongoing efforts to develop hydrogen codes and standards, discuss technical issues, and provide opportunities for workshop participants to provide input to the standard development organizations (SDOs) that are developing codes and standards.

Ms. Miller reminded participants that the NHA welcomes participation from a broad array of experts in the Codes & Standards Committee, and NHA membership is not required to contribute to developing consensus standards. Anyone with an interest in an NHA work item may participate in the working group. Each working group should have a Chairman, who is preferably an NHA member or senior staff person to facilitate reporting requirements to the NHA Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

Ms. Miller then explained the responsibilities of working groups, so that participants know what is expected. She then gave participants an opportunity to sign up for new working groups.

Working groups exchange emails and hold conference calls, and occasionally meet in person, in conjunction with a related meeting. For example, working groups may meet during future NHA C&S Workshops, and/or other times as necessary. The schedule is set by the working group, based on need and availability of information required to advance a work item.

The NHA requests that each new working group develop and report its Scope and Next Steps by August 15, 2003.

Working Group status is reported during NHA C&S Workshops, and monthly by email to staff. NHA staff will help arrange conference calls, and provide working groups meeting space at NHA meetings on request.


New Working Groups
Ms. Miller then described the NHA’s new working groups, and asked participants to indicate their interest in participating. She also invited participants to suggest other stakeholders who may have an interest in the activity. Staff will follow up with these stakeholders and invite them to join the working group, or provide assistance to the working group.

WG8: National and International Regulations for Hydrogen Storage
Navigate various National and International regulations (DOT, etc.) for Hydrogen storage technologies - including on-board vs. off-board applications.

Ned Stetson briefed the group on existing efforts regarding metal hydrides, and suggested that there are other resources for this working group to draw upon as well.

Bill Chernicoff described the DOT process and departments that this group can consider in the development of this work item. View Mr. Chernicoff's presentation here (151Kb PDF).