Assessment of Integrated Hydrogen Energy Systems in UNIDO-ICHET Pilot Projects

byProf. Dr. John W. Sheffield

United Nations Industrial Development OrganizationIndustrial Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies

Istanbul, Turkey

International Conference on Hydrogen SafetyPisa, Italy – 8-10 September, 2005

Assessment of Integrated Hydrogen Energy Systems in UNIDO-ICHET Pilot Projects

OUTLINE

1. Background2. Mission3. Pilot Projects4. Safety Plans:

- Identification of Safety Vulnerabilities - Safety Assessment

- Risk Mitigation- Safety Performance- Communications Plan

Istanbul – bridge between Europe and Asia (West and East)

Turkey – bridge between industrialized and developing countries

UNIDO-ICHET – bridge between fossil fuel past and hydrogen future

UNIDO-ICHET

EstablishmentEstablishment

Preparatory activities to establish UNIDO-ICHET started in 1988.

Government of Turkey proposed to host the Centre in 1992.

UNIDO General Assembly approved establishment in 1996.

Trust Fund Agreement signed between UNIDO and Turkish Government (Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources) to establish and operate the International Centre for Hydrogen Energy Technologies (ICHET) in 2003.

UNIDO-ICHET commenced operation in Istanbul, Turkey in 2004.

Historic Mission ofHistoric Mission ofUNIDO-ICHETUNIDO-ICHET

Help convert the World Economy to the Hydrogen Energy Systems by stimulating appropriate

applications of hydrogen energy technologies.

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Initial Pilot ProjectsInitial Pilot Projects Hydrogen from hydropower Hydrogen powered three-wheelers Hydrogen buses Hydrogen from solar energy Hydrogen from geothermal energy Hydrogen from wind energy

Libya

Turkey ChinaIndiaAzores

Portugal

Argentina

South Korea

Pilot ProjectsPilot Projects

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

AssumptionsAssumptions

• UNIDO-ICHET Pilot Projects should follow best practices and awareness that will result in an environment where safety is an integral component of all of its pilot projects.

• Safe practices in the production, storage, distribution, and use of hydrogen are essential for insurability and for the widespread acceptance of hydrogen technologies.

• Preliminary safety plans should include the use of methodologies for identifying and analyzing safety risks, for mitigating these risks, and for communicating safety events to the necessary parties.

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Safety PlanSafety Plan

1. Identification of Safety Vulnerabilities

An assessment of potential safety vulnerabilities should address concerns such as:

(a) Preliminary Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA) (b) Hazard Analysis

(c) Risk Assessment

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Safety PlanSafety Plan2. Brief Example of a Safety Assessment of Pilot

Project

When installing a new system or testing a new piece of equipment, one should:

- calculate H2 concentrations- check system design against existing codes/standards- develop detailed, reasonable-worst-case, credible scenarios that could result in unwanted or unacceptable consequences- identify and correct problems

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Safety PlanSafety Plan

3. Outline of the Risk Mitigation Plan for Pilot Project

- Should assess the scenarios and identified hazards from a safety assessment

- Should also determine the likelihood of an occurrence expressed in terms of frequency and severity

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Safety PlanSafety Plan

4. Description of How Safety Performance Will Be Measured and Monitored

A thorough safety plan can serve as the basis on which the risks associated with a technology may be measured and include a description of how safety performance will be measured and monitored

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

Safety PlanSafety Plan

5. Detailed Outline for the Communications Plan

The Project Director of each UNIDO-ICHET Pilot Project will develop & implement a communications plan for the project to describe:

- all reportable accidents- management response- independent reviews during the design and operation

phases of the project and how they will be reported

Hydrogen Economy for Sustainable Development

ConclusionsConclusions

Transition to hydrogen economy has already begun!

Role of UNIDO-ICHET will including: • serving as a bridge between the activities of industrialized and developing countries • serving as a bridge between R&D and practical applications

UNIDO-ICHET will focus on stimulating appropriate applications of the hydrogen energy technologies

UNIDO-ICHET Pilot Projects adopt practices and awareness that will result in an environment where safety is an integral component of all of its pilot projects.