Proving the safety case for hydrogen

The scale of the future hydrogen society will be determined by success in managing safety

For hydrogen to gain broad acceptance and adoption – in domestic settings and for new applications beyond current industrial uses – industry and regulators will need to prove the safety case.

DNV carries out safety analysis of hydrogen applications, experiments to obtain knowledge about consequences for full-scale incidents, and offers technical solutions to determine time- and cost-optimal solutions. We set and check requirements for safe and reliable design, construction, and use of hydrogen, deliver risk studies, and develop and support regulatory documentation.

Watch our panel discussion with experts from Northern Gas Networks (NGN), National Grid and DNV, where we debate the key issues for hydrogen safety

Services to energy and maritime industries

  • Full-scale experiments to study leakages and fire and explosion behaviour 
  • Quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) and HAZID studies, for onshore and maritime applications, such as:
    • Transportation and storage assets (hydrogen/natural gas/LNG/CO2)
    • Hydrogen systems and components on board maritime vessels
    • Hydrogen refuelling stations and maritime bunkering systems
    • Validation of fire and explosion models for quantitative risk assessments (QRAs) 
  • Risk-based technology qualification according to DNV Recommended Practice 
  • Development of odorants, metering, and analytical methods
  • Development of guidelines and standards for hydrogen safety and quality
  • Identifying safe limits for hydrogen in natural gas appliances
  • Review of concept designs of hydrogen carriers
  • Alternative design and arrangement analysis, and technology qualification of hydrogen systems onboard vessels.

Classification (maritime)

  • Certification of hydrogen materials and components for maritime vessels
  • Classification of hydrogen carriers and ships using hydrogen as fuel
  • Survey of hydrogen carriers and ships using hydrogen as fuel
  • Approval in Principle (AiP) for hydrogen-fuelled ship installations and hydrogen containment systems.

Projects

HyStreet spadeadam

Three ordinary-looking houses built at DNV’s Spadeadam Research and Testing facility are playing a central role in multi-million-dollar tests to prove the safety case for hydrogen.

Handbook for Hydrogen-fuelled Vessels

A consortium of 26 leading companies and associations, led by DNV, has launched the “Handbook for Hydrogen-fuelled Vessels" to address the uncertainties surrounding hydrogen as ship fuel.

Gas flame

DNV is proving the safety case for a switch from natural gas to hydrogen in a domestic setting, as a partner in the H21 programme in the UK.

'Zero V' research vessel

DNV joined several partners to assess the technical, regulatory and economic feasibility of a hydrogen fuel-cell coastal research vessel, and granted a Conditional Approval in Principle (CAiP).

Gas flame

DNV is investigating hydrogen purity and flame colourization as part of the Hy4Heat programme

Ferry Fiskerstrand

DNV has carried out a preliminary approval process and is providing classification services to the world's first hydrogen ferry that will carry cars and passengers.

Our research

Download DNV technical and market reports related to hydrogen

Hydrogen Forecast to 2050

Hydrogen Forecast to 2050

Get insights into factors crucial to scaling hydrogen, including policy, regulations, safety, and investment.

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