NHA Codes & Standards Activities – A Retrospective
By Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association 

As the NHA completed the Final Technical Report for our recent cost-shared project with the US Department of Energy, it struck me how much progress we have achieved as an industry in the areas of coordination and developing codes and standards, in the past five years.

The project facilitated dialog between codes and standards development organizations, hydrogen and fuel cell experts, the government and national labs, researchers, code officials, industry associations, as well as the public regarding the timeframes for needed codes and standards, industry consensus on technical issues, procedures for implementing changes, and general principles of hydrogen safety. The project facilitated hands-on learning, as participants in several NHA workshops and technical meetings were able to experience hydrogen vehicles, witness hydrogen refueling demonstrations, see metal hydride storage cartridges in operation, and view other hydrogen energy products.

The NHA held eleven technical conferences with industry, academia, national laboratories, government laboratories, code officials and code organizations to bring experts together in a focused activity to develop and write new standards for hydrogen technologies. This included such items as storage tanks, fueling nozzles, connectors, safety equipment, and other key components and integrated systems needed to move hydrogen into the energy sector.

During the project period, which began in August 2001, the NHA collaborated with codes and standards development organizations to identify technical areas of expertise that would be required to produce the codes and standards required to facilitate commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies and infrastructure. NHA staff participated directly in technical committees and working groups to discuss issues with the appropriate industry groups. In other cases, the NHA recommended specific industry experts to serve on technical committees and working groups where the need for specific industry expertise would be on-going, and where this approach was likely to contribute to timely completion of the effort.

One key area where much progress has been made was in the US Model Codes. When this project began, the US model codes did not yet contain the provisions for hydrogen energy technologies that would be needed for commercialization. ICC had an interest in working with industry to develop code change proposals for the I-Codes. A couple of years into the task, NFPA was ready to do the same. By the end of the task, the NHA co-administered, with staff from ICC and NFPA, a Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes (HIPOC).

When the project began, it was difficult to be appointed to a technical committee unless you were a code official. Today the NHA is a member of two key NFPA Technical Committees: The Vehicular Alternative Fuels Technical Committee and the Hydrogen Technologies Technical Committee.

The NHA was also very active with ISO TC 197. 5 years ago, industry was just starting to work on basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems through Working Group 7. That document has since been published, and six additional working groups have formed and in some cases, completed their work.

In 2001, the NHA was telling DOE and the National Labs that the codes and standards needs were real, and that a concerted, well-planned effort was needed to meet commercialization targets. NHA staff participated in the Department of Energy National Hydrogen Roadmap Workshop on April 2-3, 2002 to identify issues surrounding safety codes and standards for hydrogen energy systems. That roadmap continues to guide DOE funding priorities for codes and standards.

Prior to this project, there were several organized hydrogen and/or fuel cell codes and standards coordinating activities that addressed coordination of codes and standards development efforts across various CDOs and SDOs and for various applications. Three such organized efforts were as follows:

  • DOE Hydrogen Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee (HC&SCC)
  • USFCC Codes and Standards Working Group
  • NHA Hydrogen Safety, Codes and Standards Committee

For the past several years, the NHA, HC&SCC and the USFCC C&S Working Group have been successfully conducting joint monthly meetings. The NHA has been involved with the DOE HC&SCC since inception. The NHA worked with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Department of Energy to consolidate efforts among the three organizations into a single entity that is called the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee (NHFCCSCC). This increased coordination helps reduce duplication of effort, and provides a mechanism for more timely information exchange, benefiting the national effort.

A codes and standards matrix was developed during the first meeting on August 15, 2001. This matrix was developed further, and is currently maintained by Kelvin Hecht at www.fuelcellstandards.com. Regular readers of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report are already familiar with how important the Matrix has become, both as a tool for identifying gaps and as an information resource for interested parties to identify the relevant codes and standards activities in their area of interest. The NHA continues to promote this website and the matrix.

An example of the growth in collaborative work took place on November 7, 2003, when the National Hydrogen Association and the U.S. Fuel Cell Council jointly hosted a meeting of 15 representatives from government and the various U.S. Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) involved in international standards relating to hydrogen and fuel cells. Representatives from the U.S. DOE and EPA, along with representatives from ISO TC 22 SC 21, ISO TC 197, ISO TC 58, ISO TC 11, and IEC TC 105, took the opportunity to meet each other and discuss issues of common concern within their TAGs regarding hydrogen and fuel cells. The NHA and USFCC have hosted two US TAG TEAM meetings since.

Another change has been the strengthening of codes and standards activity at the NHA Conferences. The annual conferences now include a robust program of safety, codes and standards events, as well as opportunities to see and touch hydrogen energy equipment, including fuel cells, storage devices, cars, refueling devices, and numerous types of equipment that generate or run on hydrogen energy.

When the project began, attending a hydrogen refueling station dedication or demonstration was a rare event. Now the technologies I saw in those early refueling stations have been improved upon and modernized, and we are fortunate to see the opening of nearly a dozen such stations each year, each with next-generation technology.

Before this project began, the NHA had not had many opportunities to work with the US Department of Transportation (DOT). Then in 2001 and 2002, we had the opportunity to work with DOT to understand the existing requirements for shipping hydrogen stored in metal hydrides. This activity became an ISO TC 197 activity, and has produced a draft technical specification, and a draft international standard.

During April 2006, the US Department of Transportation published the report “Hydrogen Infrastructure Safety Technical Assessment and Research Results Gap Analysis” (DOT-T-06-01, April 2006). The report is the result of a DOT effort to identify gaps in the current hydrogen technology base and to recommend solutions for closing the gaps. The NHA prepared a report to provide feedback to the DOT using input solicited from NHA members, the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, the DOE’s National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee, and other interested stakeholders. The report was delivered to DOT in December 2006, and posted atwww.hydrogenandfuelcellsafety.info. Both the DOT report and the industry response were landmark efforts that are already having a large impact. Efforts are underway to secure the funding required for DOT to perform some of the highest priority work. The NHA continues to build its relationship with DOT.

Over the course of this project, collaboration between national standards development organizations, US Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) for international standards development organizations, and industry associations relating to hydrogen and fuel cells has grown tremendously. The NHA and USFCC have even worked together to discuss opportunities to coordinate more of our collective C&S activities. SAE documents have been published as ISO documents. Industry experts participate in working groups and technical committees.

The NHA has also been a catalyst to engage industry to participate in the development of codes and standards, thereby ensuring US industry interests are considered. The NHA continues to encourage open dialog and broad stakeholder input to facilitate adoption of necessary standards to meet commercialization timelines.

Congratulations to the hydrogen and fuel cell industries for significant progress over the past five years. I am proud to have been a part of this significant change, and look forward to the next five years of progress.

NextEnergy Hosts NFPA Technical Committee on Hydrogen Technologies
By Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association 

NFPA’s Hydrogen Technologies Technical Committee met in Detroit, Michigan from April 17-19. The Technical Committee is working to extract code requirements from other NFPA documents in an effort to make it easier for future hydrogen energy projects to be permitted. The goal is to combine all relevant requirements from existing NFPA documents, and add annex materials so that project developers and code officials can see the relevant requirements and background materials in a single document. The meeting provided an opportunity for the task forces to meet and continue the work in their areas. This effort will continue for several months.

The group was privileged to tour an onsite hydrogen refuelling station, which was created as a part of NextEnergy’s collaborative Research, Development, and Technology Validation effort. This was an excellent opportunity for industry members, Fire Marshals, and other experts on the Technical Committee to see a hydrogen refuelling demonstration in action.

Two specific aspects of this demonstration are particularly important. The refuelling station is sited in an urban environment, with the NextEnergy Center building and neighboring buildings in close proximity. This was accomplished through utilizing design options allowed by existing codes. One such design feature that received significant attention during our tour was the V-shaped walls that are used on two sides of the station. This design allowed the refuelling station equipment to be sited nearer to other buildings and operations.

Another aspect that was important was the operation of the DaimlerChrysler fuel cell car that was being refuelled. This car is being used by Wayne State University campus security. This allows the local community to have early experiences with hydrogen and fuel cells while providing an opportunity for students and faculty to see the car on regular routes. It also allows the project partners an opportunity to put the car through its paces in a real-life urban environment.

NextEnergy is a non-profit corporation founded to enable the commercialization of energy technologies that positively contribute to economic competitiveness, energy security, and the environment. Facilities include the alternative fuel testing platform, a microgrid power pavilion, laboratory facilities, a conference room, meeting/training rooms, demonstration space, and much more. For more information about NextEnergy, please visit www.NextEnergy.org.

ISO TC 197 Update
By Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

ISO/CD 26142 Hydrogen detection apparatus was recently circulated for comments. The U.S. prepared a number of comments for consideration by the Working Group at their next meeting.
This working group will meet in Seoul, Korea, on June 8 and 9.

ISO TC 197 Working Group 12, which is developing a hydrogen fuel quality specification, will meet in Seoul, Korea on June 6 & 7.

The report of the 15th plenary meeting of ISO/TC 197 has recently been posted on ISO livelink under the "03. Meeting and resolutions " folder, subfolder "2006 plenary meeting in Paris, France," document N 367.

The 2007 plenary meeting will be held on 8 November 2007 in Montecatini Terme, Italy, in conjunction with the World Hydrogen Technologies Convention (WHTC).By Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association


ISO/CD 26142 Hydrogen detection apparatus was recently circulated for comments. The U.S. prepared a number of comments for consideration by the Working Group at their next meeting.
This working group will meet in Seoul, Korea, on June 8 and 9.

ISO TC 197 Working Group 12, which is developing a hydrogen fuel quality specification, will meet in Seoul, Korea on June 6 & 7.

The report of the 15th plenary meeting of ISO/TC 197 has recently been posted on ISO livelink under the "03. Meeting and resolutions " folder, subfolder "2006 plenary meeting in Paris, France," document N 367.

The 2007 plenary meeting will be held on 8 November 2007 in Montecatini Terme, Italy, in conjunction with the World Hydrogen Technologies Convention (WHTC).

Postgraduate Certificate Course in Hydrogen Safety Engineering
By Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland has developed a Postgraduate Certificate Course in Hydrogen Safety Engineering. The topical content of the course is derived from the International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety Engineering (www.hysafe.org/index.php?ID=68).

The next course begins In September 2007. The course is offered in a distance learning mode and trainees are therefore not restricted to a specific campus location: the course can be attended from anywhere in the world.

Further details about the course are available in the flyer below and from the on-line prospectus at:www.campusone.ulster.ac.uk/potential/postgraduate.php?ppid=24

Hydrogen Safety Engineering flyer (537Kb PDF)