Project Harmonhy

"HarmonHy": Harmonization of Regulations, Codes and Standards for a sustainable Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology

The development of hydrogen as an energy carrier and fuel and its use for vehicle propulsion and for stationary distributed energy production has to be based on a rational framework of standards and regulations. They have to develop in a homogeneous way with these new technologies, with the appropriate interactions. The fi nal goal of the process is to render European collaboration in the fi eld as relevant as possible and to increase its contribution worldwide, rendering it more effective and homogeneous as well as corresponding to its major interests. The intended global harmonisation will provide the opportunity for a coordinated effort to bring together the results of the experiences collected in overseas R&D programmes with the European ones. Furthermore, the need for specifi c research programmes can be identifi ed in co-operation with overseas entities. This would benefi t the completion of standards and regulations which are actually being developed by international committees. More generally, the objective of the proposed Specifi c Support Action HarmonHy is to help set up a consistent EU strategy to establish priorities on actions to be undertaken in the fi eld of regulations, codes and standards in fuel cell and hydrogen applications, and to identify what has to be done to close gaps that are present in the existing document framework of non-harmonised items. Potential confl ict and discord between codes and standards, on the one hand, and regulations, on the other, will also be investigated and proposals made to resolve the differences.

The HarmonHy project, a FP6 Specifi c Support Action (SSA), aims to make an assessment of hydrogen- and fuel cell-related regulations and standards activities worldwide. On this basis, gaps will be identifi ed and proposals made to minimise fragmentation. Potential confl icts between codes, standards and regulations will also be investigated and proposals to solve them will be presented. Particular attention will be paid to identify the needs for standards, as perceived by the industry, as well as action to ensure concordance between standards and regulations. The activities of HarmonHy are within the framework of the EU policy context, the scope of which includes the creation of a coherent policy framework and enhanced international co-operation. HarmonHy addresses these issues through its very subject matter of standardisation and regulation, which are key elements in the defi nition of policies and which are heavily dependent on effi cient international co-operation.

€ 5 Mio total budget including max € 2.5 Mio EC funding (Phase I)
€ 5 Mio total budget including max € 2.5 Mio EC funding (Phase II)

JOE3-CT97-0088 (Phase I)
ENK6-CT2000-00442 (Phase II)

1 February 1998 (Phase I)
1 February 2001 (Phase II)

31 January 2000 (Phase II)
31 January 2004 (Phase II)

 Frédéric VERGELS
 VUB-IR-ETEC-AVERE
 Pleinlaan 2
 B-1050 BRUSSEL
 avere@vub.ac.be
 Phone: + 32 2 6292363
 Fax: + 32 2 6293620 

1. Vrije Universiteit Brussel BE
2. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG DE
3. Centro Ricerche Fiat IT
4. Ente per le Nuove Technologie, L'Energia e L'Ambiente IT
5. European Natural Gas Vehicle Association NL
6. European Commission Joint Research Centre BE
7. L-B-Systemtechnik GmbH DE
8. Norsk Hydro ASA NO
9. Hydrogenics Corporation BE
10. European Association for Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles BE
11. CCS Global Group Inc. CA
12. Volvo Technology Corporation SE

The project is structured in well-defined workpackages:

• WP0: management
• WP1: state of the art of codes and standards
• WP2: state of the art of prenormative research
• WP3: interaction with outside bodies
• WP4: analysis of industrial and societal needs
• WP5: action plan and road map

The findings were summarised in a final conference, where all involved parties presented their "state-of-the-art". The conclusions are integrated in http://www.harmonhy.com/harmonhydocs/HarmonHyFin-002.pdf