H2 quality requirements

This LAP is concerned with the gas quality issues for hydrogen injection and transport in the low pressure DSO local gas grid, including gas quality monitoring and metering in relation to payment terms and responsibilities for monitoring and metering

Glossary:

Requirements related to the quality of hydrogen (in relation to the composition of the gas(blend) as well as its physical property
Hydrogen quality is a term to describe the gas quality for use in the natural gas grid.
Is it a barrier?
Yes
Type of Barrier
Structural barriers
Assessment Severity
2

Questions:

Question 1 What is the basis for the billing of Hydrogen and Hydrogen Natural Gas Mixtures? Only the energy flow (kWh) or are other properties involved?
At this stage the basis for billing will probably be the same as for natural gas or bio–méthane. The energy content of the gas or higher–heating value will be taken as reference (t.b.c as there is no specific regulation at this stage).
Question 2 What are the legal and administrative requirements and responsibilities with regard to real-time Measurement Technologies for the monitoring and billing of Hydrogen Natural-Gas Mixtures? Do they differ from the requirements for natural gas?
Actually there are no specific rules for the real–time measurement and monitoring of H2 or H2 /GN mixtures. The rules will probably the same as for natural gas, if the maximum allowable concentration of H2 in the grid will be respected.
Question 3 Are there other hydrogen quality related legal and administrative requirements to allow the injection of hydrogen in the grid?
The rules will be the same as for the injection for gases other tanh natural gas. Some impurities will have to be at a specific level before injection (Hg, Cl, F, NH3, CO…) Some other caracteristics: wobe index, total Sulfur content (depending on the sulfer containing molecule: THT, H2S, COS, mercaptan…).
Question 4 How is the responsibility in your country organized with regard to the measurement and other injection related quality requirements? Is this the responsibility of the producer, the DSO or a third party?
The producer is responsible for the quality of the injected gas. He has to prove the quality of the produced gas before injection (5 days test phase for bio–methane for example). He has to build up a quality assurance system to guarantee the quality of the injected gas.
Describe the comparable technology and its relevance with regard to hydrogen
Bio–methane, SNG, syngas injection

National legislation:

EU Legislation:

  • Directive 2009/73/EC concerning common rules for the internal market in natural gas
    Directive 2009/73/EC establishes common rules for the transmission, distribution, supply and storage of natural gas.

    Its provisions and obligations apply to Hydrogen Gas by virtue of Article 1 (2), which states that the rules established by this Directive for natural gas, including LNG, shall also apply in a non–discriminatory way to biogas and gas from biomass or other types of gas in so far as such gases can technically and safely be injected into, and transported through, the natural gas system.

    Article 25 establishes the “Tasks of the distribution system operator” which include: ensuring the long-term ability of the system to meet reasonable demands for the distribution of gas […];shall provide any other distribution, transmission, LNG, and/or storage system operator with sufficient information […] as well as to ensure that the system operator does not discriminate between system users or classes of system including, including e.g. when setting rules for the charging of system users, etc

    Article 32 sets the rules on “Third party access”: access to the transmission and distribution system, and LNG facilities shall be based on published tariffs, applicable to all eligible customers, including supply undertakings, and applied objectively and without discrimination between system users.