Legal status & Certification of origin

This LAP is concerned with the legal status of hydrogen as a fuel and the procedures for certification of hydrogen fuel. Among other aspects, it investigates whether Hydrogen is recognized as an alternative fuel and under what conditions. The existence of common definitions of what constitutes “green” hydrogen is also researched.

Glossary:

Formal procedure by which an accredited or authorised person or agency assesses and verifies (and attests in writing by issuing a certificate) the origin, attributes, characteristics, quality, the calculation of greenhouse gas reduction potential of hydrogen in accordance with established requirements or standards

Pan-European Assessment:

Despite national / private initiatives (DE, DK, BE) to define “green” / “renewable” hydrogen, there is currently no binding or voluntary, uniform certification of origin system at European level

The absence of a common definition of green (or renewable) hydrogen can be a barrier that will slow down the implementation of (green) hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Divergent approaches may jeopardize the free movement of (green) hydrogen across borders.
Moreover, the absence of Guarantee of Origin (GoO) scheme for green (renewable) hydrogen hinders the development of a green (renewable) hydrogen market which may encourage the production of hydrogen from hydrocarbons that may reduce the overall environmental benefits of hydrogen in all applications (mobility, energy, industrial feedstock)
Is it a barrier?
Yes
Type of Barrier
Regulatory gap
Assessment Severity
1
Assessment
The LAP is very important for the market breakthrough of hydrogen as a fuel. The recognition of hydrogen as a fuel at national level and the establishment of a unified system for guarantee of origin of green hydrogen are key for the market deployment of hydrogen.

Member States have to transpose the Directive 2015/1513 into national legislation by 10.09.2017 and should establish the level of their national sub–targets for advanced biofuels and incentives for them till April 2017. The Directive establishes the obligation of the Member States to set out indicative national target of advanced biofuels for 2020, with a reference value of 0,5% that the States can lower for objective reasons. This regulation allows member States to set out different targets and it is possible that some of them will not put on the market the hydrogen as a fuel. It must be established a Guarantee of origin system for green hydrogen at European level (see CertifHy project). Similar to biogas it is physically not possible to verify the origin of hydrogen and a system of guarantee of origin is needed. The proposal for RED II introduces the certification of origin of gases produced from renewable energy sources and the equal treatment of renewable gases in transport.Renewable gases should be rewarded with the same multiple counting towards renewable transport targets that renewable electricity enjoys. The RED II is a step foreward to set up a comprehensive Guarantee of origin system for rennewable hydrogen.

Questions:

Question 1a - What is the legal status of hydrogen as a fuel?
a - The hydrogen is recognised as an alternative fuel irrespective of primary energy source by Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive. The renewable produced hydrogen is recognised as a fuel by Directive 2015/1513 amending the current legislation for biofuels (Renewable Energy Directive and Fuel Quality Directive)
Question 1b - Is the EU legislation (Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive) transposed in you country, and how has it been assessed?
b - Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Directive is partially transposed through the National Strategic Framework for expanding Infrastructure for Alternative Fuels and the Charging Stations Ordinance, which regulates the technical requirements for publicly accessible charging points only for electric vehicles (not for H2 and fuel cell vehicles). In Germany, the Ordinance on the Accounting of Electricity–Based Fuels and Processed Biogenic Fuels on the Greenhouse Gas Quota (in force from 1.01.2018) recognises: 1. the compressed synthetic methane, generated through Sabatier process with hydrogen from electrolysis fed by non–biogenic renewable energies and 2. the compressed hydrogen in a fuel cell, generated through electrolysis fed by non–biogenic renewable energiesas renewable transport fuels of non–biological origin. The same Ordinance recognises the compressed hydrogen in a fuel cell generated through electrolysis fed by electricity from coal as a transport fuel. .
Question 2 - At European level, no binding guarantee of origin certification system of hydrogen origin is established yet, while there are initiatives (e.g CertifHy project and others) - Is a certification system of hydrogen origin established at national level?
At national level a certification system of hydrogen origin has not been established yet. However, the certification body, TÜV SÜD has issued a special Standard CMS 70 for certifying green hydrogen . According to this standard green hydrogen means "Hydrogen, from renewable energy sources and/or waste as well as remnants."
Question 3a - What is the scope of certification (e.g. feedstocks and processes that can be used to generate hydrogen) for hydrogen?
a - The following feedstocks and processes can be used to generate green hydrogen: 1. Electrolysis of water using electricity from renewable energy sources] 2. Steam–Reforming of bio–methane; 3. Pyro–Reforming of glycerine, if it is a by–product of production of biodiesel according to the German Biofuel Sustainability Act.
Question 3b - Which proofs of origin of feedstocks and energy sources for each pathway mentioned in question 3a must be provided?
b - 1. Electricity from renewable energies – proof of origin must be provided in accordance with the Renewable Energy Directive or German Renewable Energy Act (legal proofs of origin). The proofs of origin are issued by Federal Environment Agency. 2.Bio–methane – the origin has to be proved by means of certification from the bio gas register (Biogasregister) by German Energy Agency (Deutsche Energie–Agentur GmbH) or equivalent. The origin of bio–methane should be verified by an environmental expert or auditor. 3. Glycerine – it must originate from a plant which is certified under the terms of Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance. The certification is issued by accredited certification body..
Question 4 What legal regulations are applicable in your country in relation with greenhouse gas reduction obligations?
a) Cross– sectoral greenhouse gas reduction The target of the German Federal Government is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors by 40% by 2020, by 55% by 2030, by 70% by 2040, and by 80 to 95% by 2050 (compared with 1990 levels). b) Fuels greenhouse gas reduction The national legislation (in accordance with Fuel Quality Directive) requires a reduction of the greenhouse gas intensity of the fuels used in vehicles by 6 % by 2020. The intermediate reduction targets are: 3.5 % as of 2015 and 5 % as of 2017. The greenhouse gas intensity of fuels is calculated on a life–cycle basis, meaning that the emissions from the extraction, processing and distribution of fuels are included. Direct life–cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions are calculated from a 2010 baseline of fossil fuel greenhouse gas intensity.
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
For certification – biofuels or electricity from renewable sources.

National legislation:

EU Legislation:

  • Directive 2014/94/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFID)
    The AFID establishes a common framework of measures for the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure in the Union in order to minimize dependence on oil and to mitigate the environmental impact of transport.

    The Directive sets out minimum requirements for the building-up of alternative fuels infrastructure, including recharging points for electric vehicles and refuelling points for natural gas (LNG and CNG) and hydrogen, to be implemented by means of Member States' national policy frameworks, as well as common technical specifications for such recharging and refuelling points, and user information requirements.

    Article 2 defines ‘Alternative fuels’ as fuels or power sources which serve, at least partly, as a substitute for fossil oil sources in the energy supply to transport and which have the potential to contribute to its decarbonisation and enhance the environmental performance of the transport sector. They include, inter alia: hydrogen.

    It lays down, in Article 5, that Member States which decide to include hydrogen refuelling points accessible to the public in their national policy frameworks shall ensure that, by 31 December 2025, an appropriate number of such points are available, to ensure the circulation of hydrogen-powered motor vehicles, including fuel cell vehicles, within networks determined by those Member States, including, where appropriate, cross-border links.

    Annex II contains technical specifications for hydrogen refuelling points for motor vehicles and additionally lays down that:
    • Outdoor hydrogen refuelling points dispensing gaseous hydrogen used as fuel on board motor vehicles shall comply with the technical specifications of the ISO/TS 20100 Gaseous Hydrogen Fuelling specification.
    • The hydrogen purity dispensed by hydrogen refuelling points shall comply with the technical specifications included in the ISO 14687-2 standard.
    • Hydrogen refuelling points shall employ fuelling algorithms and equipment complying with the ISO/TS 20100 Gaseous Hydrogen Fuelling specification.
    • Connectors for motor vehicles for the refuelling of gaseous hydrogen shall comply with the ISO 17268 gaseous hydrogen motor vehicle refuelling connection devices standard.
  • Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and amending and subsequently repealing Directives 2001/77/EC and 2003/30/EC (RED)
    Directive 2009/28/EC establishes a common framework for the promotion of energy from renewable sources. It sets mandatory national targets for the overall share of energy from renewable sources in gross final consumption of energy and for the share of energy from renewable sources in transport.

    It sets national overall targets for the share of energy from renewable sources (Article 3 and part A of Annex I) as well as a legally binding 10% target (energy content) for renewable energy in transport in 2020. It also, (in Article 15) defines the role and the scope of guarantees of origin of electricity, heating and cooling produced from renewable energy sources
  • Directive (EU) 2015/1513 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 September 2015 amending Directive 98/70/EC relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) Directive)
    Directive (EU) 2015/1514 additionally promotes the use of advanced sustainable biofuels and renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin. It defines “Renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin” as liquid or gaseous fuels other than biofuels whose energy content comes from renewable energy sources other than biomass, and which are used in transport;

    It also provides that the contribution of renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin towards the target shall be considered to be twice its energy content
  • Directive 98/70/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 1998 relating to the quality of petrol and diesel fuels and amending Council Directive 93/12/EEC (FQD)
    Although not originally designed to impact (negatively or positively) alternative fuels (The objective of these legislative acts being to set technical specifications on health and environmental grounds for fuels to be used for vehicles equipped with positive-ignition and compression-ignition engines), Directive 98/70/ EC and its subsequent amendments indirectly affect the use of fuels which are defined by low life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy as well the use of carbon capture and storage.
  • Directive 2009/30/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 amending Directive 98/70/EC as regards the specification of petrol, diesel and gas-oil and introducing a mechanism to monitor and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
    Article 7a of Directive 2009/30/EC states that Member States shall require suppliers to reduce as gradually as possible life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy from fuel and energy supplied by 6 % by 31 December 2020 and aim for an additional 2% reduction through the use of any technology (including carbon capture and storage) capable of reducing life cycle greenhouse gas emissions per unit of energy from fuel or energy supplied