DNV issues new standard for safe hydrogen production

Independent energy expert and assurance provider DNV has issued a new standard to support safe and scalable hydrogen production.

According to DNV, the new standard, DNV-ST-J301 Electrolyser systems, sets requirements and establishes an industry benchmark for the safe design, construction, and operation of electrolyzer systems and components.

The new standard is embedded in DNV’s certification framework for the equipment and facilities used in producing hydrogen and its derivatives through water electrolysis.

As explained, the DNV-ST-J301 addresses safety challenges related to hydrogen production through electrolyzers with a comprehensive, risk-based approach covering the entire lifecycle of electrolyzer systems.

It establishes detailed safety requirements for the design, construction, and operation of electrolyzer systems, by defining proportionate actions based on risk severity to ensure both effective and cost-efficient compliance.

The standard further focuses on the integration at the plant level, thereby supporting early risk reduction for projects and stakeholders, saving money for developers in the long run, DNV stated.

“This standard builds on insights from a joint industry project (JIP) involving 30 global partners, establishing a fully integrated standard for electrolyser systems. It is tailored to address hazards unique to hydrogen technologies and offers solutions that align with industry best practices and emerging global regulations,” DNV explained.

It is part of a broader framework that includes service specifications, such as DNV’s Verification and certification of power-to-x equipment and Verification of power-to-x facilities service specifications (DNV-SE-0674 and DNV-SE-0656), and DNV-SE-0654, designed to verify the environmental sustainability of hydrogen production.

DNV added that the new standard precedes DNV-RP-J302, a recommended practice for evaluating and testing electrolyzer performance, which is scheduled for an external hearing in Q1 2025, and DNV-ST-J30x, a product standard, soon to be released.

The release of this standard also aligns with the recently announced EU Innovation Fund hydrogen auction, where certifications are expected to play a crucial role in project success.

“To boost market confidence and trust amongst industry participants, we need to standardize large-scale electrolyser systems. This helps to reduce uncertainties and risks when integrating new assets with existing refineries or in greenfield renewable energy projects. This ensures safety, quality, reliability, and affordability of these projects,” said Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President and Regional Director, Northern Europe, Energy Systems at DNV.

“About 30 years ago, we applied a similar approach in the wind energy industry. Now, we are collaborating with industry partners to develop cross-sector standards that ensure the safe scaling of renewable hydrogen.”