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A National Set of Hydrogen Codes

and Standards for the US

3rd International Conference

on Hydrogen Safety

Carl H. Rivkin, P.E.

September 16, 2009

Ajaccio, France

NREL/PR-560-46604
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Innovation for Our Energy Future

Overview

The US has a national set of codes and standards 

that address the use of hydrogen technologies

These documents are published by several 

organizations and are not all directly adopted 

by government authorities

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has acted 

as the central organizing group to identify these 

documents and present them as a coherent and 

integrated set of requirements

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Building a Hydrogen Infrastructure

Need hydrogen dispensing stations and other 

infrastructure projects 

– Hydrogen dispensing can be added to existing stations

• Requires review and approval by fire and building officials

• To perform this review and approval, codes and standards 

are required that specifically address hydrogen usage

• Without hydrogen specific codes and standards it is 

difficult to move the review and approval process forward

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Fire Safety and the Built Environment

Hydrogen infrastructure projects require review and 

approval by fire and building officials

Construction projects are generally not regulated at the 

Federal (national) level in the US

These projects may be subject to Federal requirements 

but they are generally regulated at the a level of 

government below the Federal level

– State

– County

– City

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The DOE Role

DOE cannot promulgate a national set 

of requirements for hydrogen infrastructure projects

DOE can identify the codes and standards for hydrogen 

technologies and distribute this information through the 

internet and regional workshops

DOE can support codes and standards development 

projects to fill gaps in the hydrogen codes and standards

DOE has worked with Standards Development 

Organizations (SDOs) to define a national template of 

hydrogen codes and standards

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DOE assisted in the development of a national C & S template

National Template of Codes and Standards

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Second template for portable systems

National Template of Codes and Standards

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Hydrogen dispensing material added to the International 

Fire Code

Hydrogen dispensing requirements added to NFPA 52 Code 

Hydrogen component standards being completed by CSA 

America in 2010

Hydrogen fuel quality standards being promulgated by ISO and 

SAE in 2010

Risk informed code requirements added to NFPA hydrogen 

documents

NFPA 2 Hydrogen Technologies Code to be promulgated in 2010

Key Codes and Standards Accomplishments

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Current Status

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Level 1:

Building and fire 

codes directly 

adopted by jurisdictions.

Level 2:

Hydrogen specific 

codes referenced in 

building and fire codes.

Level 3:

Component standards 

referenced in

hydrogen specific codes.

Regulatory Hierarchy of H2 Codes & Standards
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Example of Dispensing

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Hydrogen Behavior

• Physical properties

• Flammability and transport

• Material compatibility

• Detection

Hydrogen Fuel Infrastructure

• Production

• Distribution and delivery

• Fueling station

Fuel-Vehicle Interface

• Fueling nozzle and protocol

• Fuel quality

• Cross-cutting issues

Hydrogen Vehicle

• Onboard hydrogen storage

• Onboard fuel handling

• Parking requirements
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The State of California adopts (and modifies) the 

International Building Code (IBC) and International 

Fire Code (IFC)

The IFC refers to NFPA 55 for hydrogen storage 

and NFPA 52 for hydrogen dispensing in addition 

to containing specific dispensing requirements in 

Chapter 22 of the IFC

NFPA 52 and NFPA 55 refer to CSA and UL 

standards for hydrogen system components

Application of Codes and Standards

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Major Codes and Standards Issues

More operating data are needed to identify systems issues 

and codes and standards requirements that would 

address these issues 

Better characterization of indoor hydrogen dispensing, 

operations, and storage hazards

More specific requirements for operations and maintenance

Evaluate liquid storage requirements as was done gaseous 

hydrogen storage requirements

Improve commercially available sensor technologies

Evaluation of high-pressure hazards particularly in locations 

that are accessible to the general public

Continue outreach activities to get codes and 

standards information to project developers and other 

interested parties

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