3. Task 3
3.1

Review and Investigation for International Cooperation

R&D Goals
This research is a part of the scope of WE-NET, World Energy Network, which initiatedin 1993. The purpose is to clarify scheme of international cooperation required to develop
WE-NET Plan into genuine international cooperation project and also to clarify method ofinformation exchange in terms of internationally applicable technologies related to hydrogen.
WE-NET project meant a research and development project subject for broad aspects inutilization of hydrogen, which can be achieved through international cooperation. Thus it isvital that the whole concept of the project should be well understood by overseas
governmental organizations and other organizations that are involved in the development ofhydrogen energy in order to seek their positive cooperation.
In the first phase of the research and development, information was exchanged withrelated organizations in order to make them understood the true concept of WE-NET, andalso survey was conducted to find details of various plans and their status of the projects
related to development of hydrogen that exist in overseas research organizations.
In the second phase, it has been tried to incorporate valuable facts and information
found in the first phase into WE-NET and dispatch updated information of WE-NET tooverseas organizations, which may influence their current projects and eventually may leadto realization of WE-NET vision.
3.2
3.2
3.2.1

Results FY2001
FY2001
International
ernational Cooperation in R&D Activities
Promotion of Int

WE-NET is a project based on international cooperation. Thus it is vital that the wholeconcept of the project and actual activities should be well understood by overseas
governmental organizations and other related organizations. Recently there are positivemovements for realization of various hydrogen projects locally or in overseas,
particularly in the areas of fuel cell driven vehicles, hydrogen supply stations, etc. It
must be wise to incorporate such movements or good results into WE-NET toaccelerate its activities. In this viewpoint, technological cooperation throughinternational information exchange is becoming more and more important than ever.
Terrorist’s attack in New York in September, 2001 certainly adversely affected
WE-NET activities due to cancellation of international conferences and seminars ordifficulty for participation, etc. However, effective communication through Internetor E-mail somehow compensated the problems.Major activities conducted in this year
are as follows.
(1) Distribution of WE-NET Results in 2000

-26-English version of WE-NET results of the year 2000 summarized by NEDO based onreports on individual tasks was distributed to about 180 overseas organizations thatwere listed as those for routine information exchange. In the past there were complaints
from overseas in that the timing of such distribution had been too late, but this time thedistribution was expedited within the year 2001. This sort of continued effort, webelieve, certainly makes the world realize WE-NET as an important national projectand establishes a scheme in which R&D projects in WE-NET technologically cooperate
to the world wide hydrogen projects.
(2) Presentation in International Conferences
WE-NET was reported in the following international scenes.
① Hydrogen Research Committee in the International Gas Union.
② Chicago/Midwest Renewable Energy Workshop③ The 11th. General Assembly of Canadian Hydrogen Association④ Hypothesis IV⑤ Japan/Korea Symposium⑥ International Hydrogen Conference⑦ C & E 2002. International Symposium by Tokyo Institute of Technology(3) Cooperation with International Energy Agency (IEA)
IEA conducts R&D on the basic hydrogen technologies based on agreement among
various governments in terms of development of hydrogen energy in the future. WE-NET
went into positive support of IEA activities in the under listed. On the other hand studies
were made on how to introduce basic R&D of IEA to WE-NET in the future.
① IEA Hydrogen Executive Committee② Corresponding Committee for Hydrogen Executive Committee③ Expert Service to Each Annex
3.2.2

International Information Exchange in Hydrogen Technologies

In order to develop WE-NET to international project, cooperative scheme to promotehydrogen utilization must be established through close communication with overseasorganizations and agencies as well. The principle of information exchange should be on thebasis of Give & Take. Thus positive information dispatch was tried at most possible. In linewith it, specifically following activities were implemented in this year.
(1) Survey on Overseas Activities Related to WE-NET
Those involved in each task in WE-NET made surveys in overseas along with eachobjective and collected technological information on hydrogen that is common to WE-NET.
(2) Update of WE-NET Home Page
In order to make WE-NET attractive, its home page was updated by adding latest
information, revising obsolete information and reconstructing the whole layout. WE-NET
activities in the year 2000 were presented in the updated home page.
(3) Videotape on the Safety of Hydrogen
It is essential to remove worries about hydrogen utilization from people’s mind in order-27-

to promote hydrogen as safe and clean energy source in the future. Thus the nature ofhydrogen must be well understood and its handling must be properly oriented. In this regard,
WE-NET decided to cooperate in developing Part II of the videotape on the safety of hydrogen.
In this year the scenario and visual materials were worked out. The completion of thevideotape is scheduled in 2002.

3.2.3

Basic Research for Standardization of Hydrogen Energy Technology

So far, both international and domestic survey of the related standards andregulations has been conducted in this research in the broad fields, which could affecthydrogen energy technologies in the such aspects as hydrogen production, storage,transportation, handling, safety, and materials. The research also extended to abstract
needs for standardization and possible problem areas that were expected necessary forevaluation in the future. Particular emphasis was placed on the basic research andevaluation of regulations related to the construction of hydrogen supply station.
For the research in this year, it was discussed to conduct review of the related
regulations to hydrogen station and to survey the related regulations in overseas. It
was also discussed the necessity to review the Basic Research for Standardization of
Hydrogen Energy Technology.
3.2.4

ISO/TC197(HydrogenISO/TC197(Hydrogen Technology)

ISO/TC197 was established in 1989 aiming at「Standardization of Systems and Devices forProduction, Storage, Transportation, and Measurement of Hydrogen as Energy Resource」.
The Head Quarter of the secretariats was located in Canada in 1994 and Dr. T. K. Bose(Quebec University) has been the chairman since then.
The 10th. General Conference and WG1, WG5, WG6, and WG7 meetings were held in
October, 2001, however, Japanese delegations dared not participate in those meetings
being affected by the Terrorist’s Attack in the previous month. Thus, they only
participated in the joint meeting of TC197/WG2 and TC220/WG1 held in June 2001 andTC197/WG8 held in Canada in March 2002, but collaboration to the organization has
been continuously underway by submitting reports to various ISO/TC197 secretariats.
In October, 2001 ISO/TC197 registered WG8 ｢Hydrogen generators using waterelectrolysis process｣. Thus, 8 WG’s are currently in action. Proposed specifications byeach WG and their status are shown in the Table 3.2.4-1.

-28-Table3.2.4
Table 3.2.43.2.4 - 1 . Proposed Specifications and their status.
WG
１２３４

ExpertT. Takematsu
ISO 13984(IwataniInternationalDIS 13985
Corporation)
T. Takematsu(IwataniCD 13986InternationalCorporation)T.Hanada
ISO 14687(AIR LIQUIDEJapan)
DPAS
H. Takase
15594(San Ai Oil Co. Ltd.)Ｎo.

H. Ishiyama(Usuzu MotorsLtd.)WD 15866
５WD 17268

６CD 15869

７DPAS15916

8

WD 22734

K. Akiyama(Kokan-Drum Co.
Ltd.)
T. Takematsu(IwataniInternationalCorporation)
K. Koseki（ENAA）

Notes:WD：
DIS：

DPAS：

3.3

Title
Liquid hydrogen - Land vehicle
fuelling system interface
Liquid hydrogen - Land vehicle
fuel tanks

StatusCompleted1999.3
Under circulation as
DIS preparation

Tank containers for multimodaltransportation of liquid hydrogen

Under coordination
with TC220（WG1）

Hydrogen fuel - Products
specification

Completed1999.3Gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen
blends –Service stations
Gaseous hydrogen –Land vehicle
fuelling connectors

To be published asDPAS
The draft is underpreparation
The draft is underpreparation

Gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen
blends - Vehicle fuel tanks

Under coordination
with TC58/SC3

Airport hydrogen fuelling facility

Basic considerations for thesafety of hydrogen systems

DPAS is underpreparation

Hydrogen generators using waterelectrolysis process

WD is underpreparation

Working Draft

Draft International Standard

CD： Committee Drat

FDIS：Final Draft International Standard

Dart Publicly Available Specification

Research and Development Issues in Future

Research and development under WE-NET intends to structure a global network ofan arth-friendly innovative clean energy system by developing individual element inhydrogen as a new energy carrier covering hydrogen production, transportation andstorage, and application as well and then integrating all the elements. However, theimplementation of this ideal society will be the story of long distant future, thus, it isrecognized ,under the circumstances, that, in order to practically proceed thedevelopment of hydrogen energy , it is more important to develop the fuel cell vehicle
and its infrastructures, which will be expected to commercialize in the near future, anddirection of the development has been diversified to this purpose accordingly. In fuelcell and hydrogen refueling station system that use the distributed and relatively
small quantity of hydrogen, the individual element technology such as small quantityof hydrogen production, transportation and storage should be necessary and developed.
To direct to the development of fuel cell is common tendency among the countries thatis enthusiastic to the introduction of hydrogen energy and it is more important and-29-necessary to exchange the information and to cooperate for the development oftechnology with these countries. Currently technological development for fuel cellvehicle and its infrastructure in the utilization of hydrogen has already come to a stageof verification and each technology has been progressing on the global basis. Thus inorder to effectively propel these plans, it must be essential not only to facilitate mereexchange in the technological information but also to generate positive new ideas fromJapan on the both fields of hydrogen technology and its international standardization.

-30-