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.

select country:

Is it a barrier?

Yes

Type of Barrier

Regulatory gap

Assessment Severity

Assessment

Quality control of hydrogen fuel is essential for the roll-out of hydrogen fuelled vehicles. The international and European standardisation work lays the ground for the quality control. The impurity criteria of hydrogen needs to be constantly revised with respect to the improvements in endurance and performance in the fuel cell technology.

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?

There are only a few hydrogen refilling stations and vehicles in Finland. The HRS and the vehicles are owned by the gas company Woikoski, which as a hydrogen distributor also takes care of the hydrogen quality control.

Question 1 Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel? If yes: a - Which is the competent authority?

a - There is no common authority. The operator company of the hydrogen refilling station is responsible for the hydrogen quality.

Question 1 Is there a quality control for hydrogen as a fuel? If yes: b - Which entity is responsible for the hydrogen quality?

b - There is no common entity so far. The operator company of the hydrogen refilling station is responsible for the hydrogen quality.

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). A new standard for hydrogen quality measurements is under development (in 2017): ISO/DIS 19880–8 Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations – Hydrogen quality control. It is expected that the standard will be endorsed in 2018.The aim of the standard is to develop a practical implementing method for hydrogen quality control in which minimum analysis requirements of impurities are specified per hydrogen supply chain, as well as the frequency at which the analyses should be performed.

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 - For the moment, there are only a few hydrogen refilling stations in Finland and the owner of them controls the quality of hydrogen. In general, quality must fulfil the requirements of ISO 14687–2:2012 (reviewed every 5 years), which specifies the quality characteristics of hydrogen fuel in order to ensure uniformity of the hydrogen product as dispensed for utilization in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell road vehicle systems.

Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen

Quality control of natural gas fuel

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.
ISO/TS 19880–1 Gaseous hydrogen – Fuelling stations
Includes hydrogen quality control recommendations.
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
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.