Handbook for Hydrogen Communities
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The European FP6 Integrated Project "Roads2HyCom" has written a Communities Handbook on hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The handbook is focused on the need of early adopting "hydrogen communities", i.e. regions, cities or islands having developed (or in the process of developing) a series of coordinated projects in the hydrogen and fuel cell areas, with a view to deploying hydrogen technologies while practically meeting end-user needs. The aim of this handbook is firstly to introduce potential hydrogen communities into the principles of hydrogen and fuel cell technology and secondly to help interested stakeholders to engage and plan actual hydrogen communities. The handbook therefore explains hydrogen and fuel cells not only from a technical point of view but also discusses economic, financing and project management issues. Thus it gives advice to community actors on whether to engage with hydrogen. The handbook is structured to lead the reader through a process of learning, self assessment, and then advice. The first chapters are most useful to those new to the area and who require an overview of the field. Intermediate chapters provide more information in important areas. The chapters towards the end of the document are aimed at stakeholders who are in the process of developing a community hydrogen project. The handbook thus covers all aspects which may be of relevance for a hydrogen community, ranging from technology choice, socio-economics, logistics, risk, safety, regulation aspects, project management issues, information on financial incentives for business development, and Public Private Partnerships The readership may comprise city mayors who need a good overview on the subject, as well as project leaders actually developing or already implementing a hydrogen project. It has been written with feedback from practitioners of several European regions. In parallel to the publication of the three handbook volumes three workshops will be organised to exchange views and to gain feedback on the handbook. Registration for the workshops, as well as the download of the handbook is free of charge (www.roads2hy.com).
The structure of the handbook is as follows
Volume A - Introduction to Hydrogen and Hydrogen Communities
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Volume A of the handbook was published in October 2007. It introduces hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, and places them in the context of global energy issues. It furthermore sketches possible pathways towards a hydrogen economy and presents the main barriers. The concept of a ‘hydrogen community’ is explained along with the role such communities can play in the development of hydrogen technology. As the content suggests, this volume is aimed at a reader who is new to hydrogen and who wishes to understand whether early engagement in the sector will be beneficial. |
Volume B - Deciding to form a Hydrogen Community
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Volume B looks more closely at the roles communities may be able to play and should help the reader to define an informed strategy for engagement with hydrogen energy systems. Illustrated with case studies, it examines regional characteristics and strategies which lead to successful hydrogen communities. The first chapter presents an overview on different fuel cell applications. The second chapter explains how communities might benefit from hydrogen and fuel cell projects. Chapter three and four then deal more with practical project management issues. They notably investigate success criteria for hydrogen communities and explain how to write a proposal and sustain a community once the project has been started. |
Volume C - Planning and Execution of a Hydrogen Community
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Volume C is a detailed guide to implementing and running a successful sustainable hydrogen community. It gives details on the design and operation of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to ensure that important success criteria such as safety, installation, permits and planning permissions, commissioning, maintenance programmes etc are accounted for. It furthermore addresses aspects such as building a project team, financing and business development, technology procurement, as well as publicity, evaluation and dissemination. |
