On the 24th of January, HYPOP’s Project Partner Cluster TWEED carried out the WP4 workshop on safety certification and permitting for hydrogen infrastructures. The meeting began with a presentation of the our project, highlighting our aims to increase awareness and trust in hydrogen technologies, particularly in mobility and residential sectors. In particular, the project aspect at the core of the workshop was presented: the understanding of safety regulations, permitting processes, and technical guidelines across various European countries for hydrogen technologies. The objective is to identify barriers and find best practices to overcome them. Mattia Miglietta from Envipark, shared the related findings of the project.
Next, Simon Habran form Cluster TWEED presented the main results for Belgium and its neighboring countries, highlighting existing guidelines for these regions.
After the presentations, participants exchanged experiences and challenges related to obtaining permits for hydrogen projects. The need for clearer regulations and better communication between stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen technologies was stressed and resulted as a focal point.
Several improvements were proposed:
- Include insurance companies as stakeholders, as their involvement is crucial for project development. If they don’t find the project secure, they won’t insure it.
- Develop specific files and identify the best available technologies for hydrogen production.
- The permitting process in Wallonia is more subjective compared to the objective, scientific approach in Flanders. Stakeholders need a more defined process for permitting in Wallonia.
- Modify classifications in Wallonia for permitting, such as making the Industrial Emission Directive (IED) non-mandatory for hydrogen facilities (as it is in Flanders).
- Enhance the involvement of Industrial Risk Departments in Wallonia to improve project evaluation and reduce delays.
- Reduce permit processing times in Wallonia, which currently can take over a year.
- Establish a unified EU-level guideline for hydrogen technology permitting.
- Focus on improving social acceptance and trust in hydrogen safety, which is even more important than additional security measures.
Watch the video below to follow the whole event:
