H2-Ready Certification

What is H2-ready and why is it important?

Hydrogen is predicted to play a significant role in several industries, and it will most likely take the place of natural gas as a CO2-free energy carrier. It is therefore reasonable to expect that a component (e.g., a pipe or valve) or a complete system (e.g., a power plant) originally intended for natural gas will transition to hydrogen at some point during its lifetime.
This prospective switch to hydrogen should be factored into the component or plant's initial design in order to ensure that it will be ready to use hydrogen in the future. In the business, this is known as "H2-Readiness."

Hydrogen-ready, or H2-ready, therefore refers to a component or system's ability to work with hydrogen in the future. In order to meet global CO2 reduction targets, hydrogen will partially or entirely replace natural gas in the future. As a result, components and systems that run on natural gas today are likely to run on hydrogen in the future. This means, materials and components need to be designed and adapted for the use of hydrogen.

Hydrogen will also be used in part or entirely by gas turbine power plants in the future.

What H2-ready certifications does TÜV SÜD offer?

TÜV SÜD differentiates between H2-ready certifications for materials or components and for combined cycle power plants. For both certifications, experts at TÜV SÜD have developed a qualification and certification standard, to deliver best-in-class service to you. The certification is currently performed on a voluntary basis. However, the legislation is likely to include the topic of H2-readiness at the EU level (EU Taxonomy) or national levels soon, such as in the UK or Germany. In some cases a third-party certification might soon become mandatory for power plant operators.

How does the TÜV SÜD H2-ready certification for materials and components benefit you?

Selecting the correct materials for hydrogen applications is a challenge. Unlike natural gas, hydrogen has damaging mechanisms that can compromise the reliability of metallic components in particular. Existing rules do not adequately address hydrogen resistance and are typically limited to specific industries. As a result, they aren't necessarily transferable to other fields.

So, how can you be confident that the materials you use are H2-ready and meet the requirements?

TÜV SÜD produced the standard P003 "Material resistance to compressed hydrogen" as a basis for certification in collaboration with component manufacturers and technical specialists. It is divided into two stages:

1. Qualification of materials and components using test procedures listed in the standard

2. Ongoing monitoring of compliance with the audit's certified methods.

What are the benefits of the TÜV SÜD certification?

• A well-structured method for determining material compatibility based on recognized international norms and codified in the TÜV SÜD test standard P003
• Examines metallic materials as well as plastics and elastomers - Takes into account the mode of operation - Material tests in hydrogen atmosphere are feasible in partner laboratories

Training for component manufacturers

Do you want to learn more about hydrogen damage mechanisms, and resistance in materials and components? Then attend our one-day training session. The areas of H2 damage mechanisms, material appropriateness, and material selection will be covered by our experts. The training is geared toward component manufacturers and their development departments in particular. Please contact us if you are interested.

How does the TÜV SÜD H2-ready certification for CCGT power plants benefit you?

Plant operators expect plant manufacturers to deliver future-proof H2-ready plants. Due to the lack of a uniform evaluation framework for H2-readiness, it is difficult for all market participants to make clear and transparent assertions on the subject. Each power plant's original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company can adopt a slightly different definition of H2-readiness, making it difficult for future plant operators to compare proposals. Different understandings of the topic can lead to challenges in terms of additional costs, performance, or safety when the switch to hydrogen is implemented.
While several new CCGT power plants are already marketed as H2-ready, there has never been a clear definition for the terminology.

What is the best way to address this ambiguity?

TÜV SÜD has established a guideline for determining the H2-readiness of power plants and provides independent certification to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and plant builders (EPCs). For plant operators, this improves investment security.
The certification covers the entire power plant, including all of its subsystems. All important steps along the plant's lifecycle are assessed and the roadmap of how the conversion to hydrogen addition or pure hydrogen combustion over time will be realized. In total, there are three steps and three certificates in the certification process:

Level 1 - concept certificate:
The bidding procedure for a new CCPP is covered by the Concept Certificate. It ensures that the underlying H2-readiness concept addresses all important concerns and offers viable answers. The concept owner – usually the OEM as plant manufacturer or the EPC – is the holder of the certificate.

Level 2 - project certificate:
The realisation phase is covered by the Project Certificate. It ensures that the H2-readiness concept is correctly implemented and that the plant is planned and constructed in accordance with the guideline's standards. The plant manufacturer or EPC intending to demonstrate the successful implementation of the concept to the plant operator, or the plant operators themselves seeking validation by commissioning third-party certification, are both potential certificate holders. The certificate is project specific because it applies to a specific plant and the systems and components that it requires.

Level 3 - transition certificate:
The experts will examine the transition procedure when the firing gas source is shifted from natural gas to pure hydrogen or a gas combination for the Transition Certificate. They'll make sure that the defined retrofitting and upgrading actions have been carried out correctly, and that the plant's overall performance and safety meet regulatory criteria. The certificate holder can be the manufacturer or EPC in charge of the upgrading and retrofitting measures, with the goal of demonstrating to the owner that the upgrade was completed successfully. Plant owners might also hire a third party to certify that retrofit measures are being implemented properly.

What advantages does certification provide to original equipment manufacturers and plant builders?

• The guide offers clarity and transparency to all stakeholders in a power plant project.

• The guideline comprises all framework conditions that need to be clarified, as well as requirements for the essential components and systems.

• The certification system is divided into three stages, each of which covers all processes up to hydrogen conversion.