Quality measurement requirements
This LAP is concerned with the methods, analyses and devices used for the assessment and assurance that the hydrogen, delivered at the distribution centers and at refueling stations, meets the requirements for hydrogen purity.
Glossary:
Fualy quality measurements requirements are requirements for methods and technologies for testing and analysing the quality of hydrogen as a fuel.
Pan-European Assessment:
The transposition of the Directive 2014/94/EU, has led to a regulation on H2 as an energy carrier for road transport, but the quality measurement requirements have not been fixed in this legislative act.
A legally mandated quality control procedure exists in most countries in which HRS have been installed and advanced discussions are in place in the others. Nevertheless, approaches differ considerably with respect to both the fuel quality requirements, measurement and process.
Most countries adhere (from a regulatory perspective) to the standards laid down within ISO 14687-2 and ISO 19880–1, however, from an administrative and operational perspective some countries have taken different approaches. The general message across different countries with experience in deployment of hydrogen as fuel is that the ISO norm forms the basis for the quality control, but that checking on all the possible contaminants is very difficult/expensive. In practice measurement is done on key contaminants which are checked continuously, however, due to the associated costs, not all contaminants named in the norm are checked.
A legally mandated quality control procedure exists in most countries in which HRS have been installed and advanced discussions are in place in the others. Nevertheless, approaches differ considerably with respect to both the fuel quality requirements, measurement and process.
Most countries adhere (from a regulatory perspective) to the standards laid down within ISO 14687-2 and ISO 19880–1, however, from an administrative and operational perspective some countries have taken different approaches. The general message across different countries with experience in deployment of hydrogen as fuel is that the ISO norm forms the basis for the quality control, but that checking on all the possible contaminants is very difficult/expensive. In practice measurement is done on key contaminants which are checked continuously, however, due to the associated costs, not all contaminants named in the norm are checked.
Is it a barrier?
Yes
Type of Barrier
Regulatory gap
Assessment Severity
2
Assessment
As there are no official rules published for the quality measurements for H2 as a fuel, there is a “insecurity” for the HRS operators and for the H2 providers for the development of there quality assurance system. The ISO/TC 197 develops a new standard for hydrogen quality measurements – ISO/CD 19880–8 Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations – Hydrogen quality control. This standard can be taken as a guideline for the H2 Fuel Quality control.
The analysis of the impact will have to be revised, after collecting more information from the responsible administration (as there are no official published rules on the characterisation techniques to control the quality of H2)
The analysis of the impact will have to be revised, after collecting more information from the responsible administration (as there are no official published rules on the characterisation techniques to control the quality of H2)
Questions:
Question 1
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
a) Which is the competent authority?
b) Which entity is responsible for the hydrogen quality?
c) What are the quality criteria?
d) What are the frequency of the quality measurements?
Actually there is no quality control for H2 as a fuel on a legal basis or controlling by any state agency or authority..
The process for a legal quality control and measurement process for H2 as a fuel is only at an early stage. Some discussions are at a beginning stage within the French Economy Ministry (the exact content of the discussions will be investigated by AFHYPAC during 2018.). The transposition of the Directive 2014/94/UE, has lead to a regulation on H2 as an energy source for road transport, but the quality measurement requirements have not been fixed by regulation.
The HRS owner or / operator must have his own quality assurance system wicht garaties that the H2 delivered is of the right quality for the vehicle to be fueled (specification of quality are given by the car manufacturers). Actualy there are no specific taxes on H2 as a fuel.
Question 1
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
a - Which is the competent authority?
a - Normaly, the competent authority is the Economy Ministry (responsible for collecting the taxes on fuels). The HRS owner or operator has to proof the quality of the delivered H2 (by it's own certified quality assurance systme or by the certification via an independent certification body.
Question 1
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
b - Which entity is responsible for the hydrogen quality?
b - in principle the HRS operator
Question 1
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
c - What are the quality criteria?
c - ISO 19880–1 introduces the concept of assuring the quality of hydrogen either supplied to a hydrogen station, or dispensed from the station, by taking into account the likely contaminants that could be expected to be present in the hydrogen supply chain (from source to nozzle, including transport and compression).
Question 1
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
d - What are the frequency of the quality measurements?
Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel?
If yes:
d - No response at this stage
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
Natural gas and bio–gas for vehicles
National legislation:
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Arrêté du 8 décembre 2017 relatif aux caractéristiques de l'hydrogène en tant que source d'énergie pour le transport – “regulation on the caracteristics of H2 as an energy source for road transportation”
This regulation is fixing the quality for H2 as a fuel, but gives no detail on the characterisation techniques / methods to analyse and control the quality of the H2. The methods will be fixed later on by a specific regulations. The recommendation from industry will be to adopt the ISO 19880 – 8 standard for the H2 quality control.
EU Legislation:
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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. -
ISO/TS 19880–1 Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations
Includes hydrogen quality control recommendations.
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ISO/CD 19880–8 Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations – Hydrogen quality control – Under development
Hydrogen fuel quality control.
- SAE J2719_201511 Hydrogen Fuel Quality for Fuel Cell Vehicles
- I ISO 14687–2:2012 Hydrogen fuel – Product specification – Part 2: Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications for road vehicles
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EN 17124:2018 - Hydrogen fuel - Product specification and quality assurance - Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell applications for road vehicles
EN 17124 specifies the quality characteristics of hydrogen fuel and the corresponding quality assurance in order to ensure uniformity of the hydrogen product as dispensed for utilization in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell road vehicle systems.