The US Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO) Director Sunita Satyapal announced a collaboration with the new Center for Hydrogen Safety (CHS), launched by AIChE. Namely, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and AIChE will cooperate to enable information sharing on hydrogen safety and best practices among national and international stakeholders with an interest in hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
The Center meets the recommendations made by the DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee, with roots back to a previously DOE-funded effort called the Hydrogen Safety Panel created in 2003.
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Hydrogen is an essential feedstock and fuel in many, with the US already producing about 10 million metric tons every year for industrial purposes. Hydrogen can be used across sectors, and is an energy carrier that can unite US’s energy resources. For instance, hydrogen can be made by splitting water using solar or wind when power generation surpasses load, and it can contribute to grid stability and resilience. It can also be produced from current baseload assets like nuclear power, and can be stored, distributed, and used as a fuel or feedstock for numerous applications.
Recent years have seen a gradual rise in the use of hydrogen for new applications including transportation, stationary power, and energy storage. As interest in hydrogen grows, whether it is for fuel, energy storage, or industrial processes, making information on hydrogen safety accessible to a wide group of stakeholders across multiple industries will be crucial.
DOE’s FCTO promotes hydrogen and fuel cell technologies through an early-stage research and development (R&D) portfolio emphasizing on key technical challenges in fuel cells, hydrogen production, delivery and storage, as well as safety, codes and standards.
The Center for Hydrogen Safety will support these activities by identifying key hydrogen-safety R&D gaps, and by gathering valuable resources and expertise to share information and understand better the safe use of hydrogen across sectors in the economy.
