National Fire Protection Association`s Code for Hydrogen Technologies – NFPA 2 Revision

by Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

NFPA 2 is on the Fall 2025 revision cycle. The 2026 edition is being developed and is in the Second Draft phase. The document received 133 Public Comments (PCs) that the committee acted on during the Second Draft meeting March 4-7. The committee also addressed reports and recommendations from assigned task groups. This cycle includes the addition of text for Chapter 9, Explosion Protection.  The Task Group reviewed the public comments received on the draft chapter, published in the First Draft Report, and made a comprehensive presentation to the Technical Committee. A Second Revision was then prepared to address the comments. All changes will go to the official ballot prior to posting the results in a Second Draft Report by October 3, 2025.

The public can then review the proposed changes for the 2026 edition. Members of the public can file a Notice of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAM), no later than October 31, 2025. If NITMAMs are received and certified, they will be presented for action at the NFPA Technical Meeting, June 19-20, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV.  Standards that receive no motions will not be presented at the meeting and instead will be forwarded directly to the NFPA Standards Council for action on issuance.

For more information regarding this event, click here.

International Electrotechnical Commission - IEC TC 105 Documents Set for Publication

by Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

The following documents have recently passed Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) ballot and are in publication.

  • IEC 62282-3-202 Ed1, Stationary fuel cell power systems - Performance test methods for small fuel cell power systems for multiple units operation

  • IEC 62282-7-2 Ed 2, Single cell and stack performance tests for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) – Test methods

  • IEC 62282-6-401, Micro fuel Cell power systems – Power and data interchangeability – Performance test methods for laptop computers

  • IEC/TR IEC 62282-7-3 Test methods – Status of accelerated tests for fuel Cell Stacks and components and perspectives for standardization

Details of IEC/TC 105 documents are available here.

Remembering Dr. Andrei Tchouvelev

by Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

The hydrogen safety community suffered a tremendous loss, with the passing of Dr. Andrei V. Tchouvelev on March 4, 2025.

Andrei was born and educated in Russia, and spent time working in Africa before settling in Canada. His 40-year career focused on research and consulting in the field of risk management, hydrogen safety and codes & standards. He worked with Stuart Energy, Hydrogenics, and then consulted for international clients as President & CEO of his own consulting company, A.V.Tchouvelev & Associates Inc.

Andrei most recently served as the Director of Safety & Regulatory at the Hydrogen Council. In this capacity he set up the Safety & Regulatory Program within the Council. He was also serving as the chair of ISO/TC 197/SC 1, a technical subcommittee of the International Organization for Standardization that develops international standards for large-scale hydrogen energy systems and applications including aspects of testing, certification, sustainability and placement, and coordination with other relevant standardization bodies and stakeholders.

Andrei served as the Chair ISO/TC 197 Hydrogen technologies between 2012 and 2021. During that time, Andrei kept the hydrogen safety community informed through a series of interview articles in FCHEA’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report, answering questions about the direction of standardization activities in ISO/TC 197.

Andrei held many key roles in hydrogen safety over his career, including:

  • Managing Director of NSERC Hydrogen Canada (H2CAN) Strategic Research Network between 2009-2014.

  • Member of the Executive Committee of the IEA Hydrogen (2013-2018) and prior to that as the subtask leader of Tasks 19 and 31 on hydrogen safety (2004-2011).

  • President of the International Association for Hydrogen Safety (HySafe) between 2011-2015. He later served as Past President & Honorary Member of HySafe.

  • Member of the RCSS (Regulations, Codes and Standards, and Safety) WG of IPHE (International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy) representing Canada until 2021.

Andrei was active in the development of bi-national standards (Canada-USA) on key requirements for hydrogen fueling, as well as myriad Canadian codes and standards for hydrogen energy technologies.

 In 2018, he received the IAHE Jules Verne Award for his distinguished career in hydrogen energy technology.

 Andrei worked tirelessly to develop and promote international standards to ensure safe deployment of hydrogen energy technologies, and his absence will be felt for a very long time. May he rest in peace.

Resources:

Mission Hydrogen Webinar Series: Liquid Hydrogen Fluid Management

by Mhamed Samet, FCHEA

On the 26th of February 2025, the Mission Hydrogen Webinar Series included a session on liquid hydrogen fluid management and safety considerations from Matt Moran, a rocket scientist with 40 years of liquid hydrogen experience, who discussed the history and applications of liquid hydrogen, emphasizing its use in NASA's space missions and its potential in aviation and transportation. He detailed the safety and storage aspects, including the importance of vacuum insulation and the challenges of cryogenic thermal design. Moran also touched on the future of hydrogen in space exploration and the need for advanced modeling and simulation tools. The discussion focused on the liquefaction of hydrogen, highlighting various systems from small cryogenic coolers to large-scale modular ones. NASA obtains liquid hydrogen via long-term contracts, primarily transported by truck. For finding thermodynamic property data, the database of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) was recommended.

For more information about this webinar series visit: www.mission-hydrogen.com

Mission Hydrogen Webinar Series: Hydrogen Plant and Functional Safety

by Mhamed Samet, FCHEA

On April 9th, 2025, Mission Hydrogen Webinar Series will host a webinar on Hydrogen Plant and Functional Safety where Dräger and Pilz, two global leaders in safety solutions, will share their decades of experience in process and machinery safety. Hydrogen safety is essential across the entire hydrogen value chain—from production in electrolyzers to transport infrastructure and end-user applications, whether in combustion engines or fuel cells.

Why is this important?

Safety Instrumented Systems must be carefully designed before testing and commissioning to ensure reliability. Simply applying automation safety concepts from large-scale industrial plants to smaller hydrogen applications does not work, the use cases and risks are different.

Here is what is expected to be covered during the webinar:

  • Why plant safety + functional safety = proven hydrogen safety

  • The benefits of bundled expertise in emerging hydrogen markets

  • Key differences and similarities between plant safety and functional safety

  • Practical insights from Electrolyzer and HRS Safety Concepts

  • Industrial security strategies for critical hydrogen infrastructure

The speakers are:

  • Oliver Bornholdt – Global Business Development Manager Industry, Dräger

  • Armin Glaser – Vice President, Strategy & Cooperation, Pilz GmbH & Co. KG

  • Albert Cot – Global Sales & Marketing, Pilz GmbH & Co. KG

 The webinar registration page can be found here.

 For more information about this webinar series visit: www.mission-hydrogen.com

Dräger Report on Safety Challenges & Solutions Hydrogen Fueled Heavy-Duty Vehicles

by Aidan Dennehy, FCHEA

Dräger manufactures medical and safety technology products. Founded in Lübeck in 1889, Dräger has grown into a worldwide, listed enterprise in its fifth generation as a family-run business. Dräger has more than 16,000 employees worldwide and is present in over 190 countries around the globe.

The company released a report on the use of hydrogen for transport and trucking, outlining how unique safety concerns can be addressed. Standard concerns about the explosivity, flammability, and leakage of hydrogen are exacerbated in transportation applications, especially by the refueling process. The report highlighted existing safety equipment and the importance of codes and standards for mitigating these risks.

Refueling

The process of transporting hydrogen from delivery vehicles to storage tanks requires special consideration because of the surrounding infrastructure and manual handling involved. The area housing closed hydrogen-carrying components in refuelling facilities is often classified as ATEX Zone 2, meaning it is possible but unlikely for combustible combination gases and vapors to be produced. Due to potential risks of over-pressurization, leakage, and combustibility, technicians and drivers should be trained in handling hydrogen.

A typical hydrogen refueling station includes technology like hydrogen storage tanks, compressors, pre-cooling systems, and dispensers operating at high pressures (350 or 700 bar), all of which necessitate careful monitoring and safety measures. Hydrogen’s lack of odor and the invisibility of hydrogen flames during daylight make a potential leak difficult for people to detect naturally.

Solutions

A combination of existing standards and safety equipment are required to address these risks. Dedicated hydrogen flame and gas detectors are already used widely and are highly sensitive. By precisely monitoring the presence of hydrogen, this technology compensates for our inability to naturally do so. To ensure safety equipment does its job properly, comprehensive codes and standards are critical.

Hydrogen will play a vital role in the future of heavy-duty trucking and transportation. To read the full report on how this sector can address the safety challenges around hydrogen, click here.