CSA Group is co-hosting the 2018 Plenary for the ISO Technical Committee
for Hydrogen Technologies (ISO/TC 197) in Vancouver, from December 3 to 7.

The transportation sector has been facing a major challenge in recent years; it represents a third of global energy demand and 14% of greenhouse gas emissions – and has the lowest level of renewable energy use.[1] For the world to meet its climate change mitigation objectives, the transportation sector needs to change the way it uses energy. A cost-effective regulatory framework supported by codes and standards for clean vehicle fuels can pave the way.

International Standards Development for Hydrogen Technologies

Hydrogen is among the clean vehicle fuels being considered in many jurisdictions for broad adoption. In 1990, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) created the Technical Committee for Hydrogen Technologies (ISO/TC 197) to help ensure the safe deployment of hydrogen vehicles and fueling stations. The committee develops standards for systems and devices for the production, storage, transport, measurement, and use of hydrogen, including hydrogen vehicle fueling stations and the various components associated with fueling infrastructure. It has published 20 standards so far and has nine more under development. The committee’s global impact is reflected in its global membership, with 19 participating members and 15 observing members from 34 countries. CSA Group, with a long history of developing leading-edge standards for hydrogen, is an active committee participant.

Each year, the committee holds a plenary meeting for its international members. This year’s event will be co-hosted by CSA Group and the Standards Council of Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia where close to 100 industry influencers will meet to advance the committee’s work on the development of safety standards for hydrogen technologies. As part of the event, a strategic planning meeting will take place with dedicated pannel sessions on interoperability, regulations, and certification for hydrogen FCEVs and stations deployment. The panel on certification will be chaired by CSA Group’s Brent Hartman, Program Manager for Alternative Energy Vehicles.

“We’re proud to be actively involved in a committee that is developing standards-based solutions for the world to use as they consider adopting clean fuels and technology such as hydrogen,” says Steve Sharples, CSA Group’s Director of Standards for Fuels and Appliances. “Having led some of this important work specifically for Canada and the U.S., we feel honoured to co-host this year’s plenary and look forward to welcoming delegates to Canada as we continue advancing international standards for hydrogen.”

How CSA Group is Paving the Way for Hydrogen Vehicles
CSA Group is no stranger to finding standards-based solutions for emerging technologies, with a long history of developing standards for clean energy products. In fact, we issued the world’s first fuel cell standard in 1998. In 2002, recognizing there were no standards that addressed safety considerations for hydrogen dispensing systems, we met with the U.S. Department of Energy to promote the development of hydrogen technology standards. As an accredited SDO by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), we developed the first in a series of U.S. standards for hydrogen vehicle components and fueling stations. We have since developed 15 related standards, with 13 of these licensed to the ISO as seed documents for international standards development work being conducted by TC 197. To further support the committee’s goals, our expert staff actively participate in committee meetings. They also serve on the committee’s Technical Advisory Board, convene meetings for two of its working groups, and participate in the Canadian Mirror Committee and the U.S. Technical Advisory Group.

Building on our work in standards development, we offer reliable and efficient testing & certification services for hyrogen stations, fueling equipment, and vehicle components at our state-of-the-art high-pressure labs in Cleveland and Langley –where attendees of this year’s Plenary will be able to visit. We also developed a mobile hydrogen dispenser testing apparatus (HDTA) to test hydrogen station compliance on-site against ANSI/CSA HGV 4.3. Without the HDTA, station owners would have to wait for each automotive OEM to bring a vehicle to their station for testing. The HDTA replaces the need for OEM vehicle testing at each station, reducing test time and associated costs.

Ensuring the industry has access to standards that support the safe deployment of hydrogen vehicles and fueling infrastructure, as well as a reliable testing & certification partner to verify that critical requirements have been met, will help support the broad adoption of hydrogen vehicles.

Members and invited guests can register for the plenary by visiting csagroup.org/event_or_seminar/isotc-197-plenary-meeting-working-groups.

This event is made possible by a financial contribution from Natural Resources Canada.

[1] IRENA (2017), Transport Sector Transformation, 7^th Session of IRENA Assembly. https://www.irena.org/remap/IRENA_REMap_presentation_transport_assembly2017.pdf