At the 2024 Hydrogen Technology Expo North America in Houston, Thomas Huettner, Head of Mechanical Engineering at TÜV SÜD America, delivered an enlightening session on the latest developments in certifying hydrogen readiness of power plants and other existing infrastructure.
Download Thomas's slide deck using the form on this page.
Here are some key insights:
Hydrogen readiness means that a component or system is suitable for future operation with hydrogen. This process involves multiple considerations:
• Hydrogen Concentration: Whether the system will handle pure hydrogen or a blend.
• Transition Time: The timeline for transitioning from natural gas to hydrogen.
• Operating Conditions: Changes in pressure, temperature, and material compatibility.
• Safety and Performance: Ensuring safety over the system's lifetime and maintaining performance.
Huettner highlighted the growing market trend where power plants are expected to switch to hydrogen within their operational lifetimes in Europe. TÜV SÜD developed guidelines in 2021 for evaluating the hydrogen readiness of gas turbine combined cycle power plants, with extensions to gas engine plants in 2022. These guidelines provide a framework for assessing the transition to hydrogen, defining requirements for hydrogen readiness, and listing the necessary evidence to confirm the implementation of hydrogen readiness concepts.
Key aspects include:
• Component and System Evaluation: Assessing hydrogen compatibility, potential retrofits, and performance impacts.
• Certification Levels: Three levels of certification—Concept, Project, and Transition—cover the major phases of a power plant's lifecycle, ensuring comprehensive evaluation and readiness.
At the conference, Huettner also discussed several pilot projects, including the first certification of an H2-readiness concept for Siemens Energy's SGT-800 combined cycle plants and NEM Energy’s heat recovery steam generators. These projects involved rigorous assessments to ensure that the hydrogen readiness concepts covered all relevant aspects, proposed feasible technical solutions, and were integral parts of the bidding process.
A notable pilot project was the certification of the HKW Süd power plant by Leipziger Stadtwerke, initially operated with natural gas but designed for future hydrogen use. This project highlighted the importance of confirming the feasibility and completeness of hydrogen readiness concepts and validating the remaining milestones for hydrogen implementation.
The session also delved into certifying hydrogen readiness for pipelines, focusing on retrofitting existing pipelines and constructing new ones. Huettner explained the importance of documentation review, assessing existing materials and operating conditions, as well as ensuring materials can withstand hydrogen-specific conditions. He also discussed the importance of feasibility studies and material assessments for converting natural gas pipelines to hydrogen.
He highlighted the European Hydrogen Backbone initiative, which involves building a hydrogen transportation network across Europe. TÜV SÜD is actively involved in feasibility studies, material inspections, and stress tests for existing pipelines to ensure they are hydrogen-ready.
Huettner’s session emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and systematic approach to certifying hydrogen readiness. TÜV SÜD's expertise and rigorous certification processes ensure that power plants, pipelines, and other infrastructures are well-prepared for the transition to hydrogen, supporting the global shift towards a sustainable hydrogen economy.
For more information on hydrogen readiness and H2-ready certification, click here. Together, we can pave the way for a sustainable, hydrogen-powered future.
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