The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) has launched its Safe Hydrogen Project to establish and promote industry-wide standards for the production, transportation and storage of hydrogen and the safe operation of hydrogen systems.

The project will bring together the CGA’s vast knowledge in the development of safety standards to help better incorporate hydrogen into the global energy mix, as innovation and interest in the space continues to grow.

Each segment of the hydrogen economy is set to benefit from the new standards.

Rich Gottwald, President and CEO of the CGA, notes both safety and interoperability as two essential factors in making the vast new hydrogen energy network function and hopes to support these with the new project.

Gottwald added, “Today, we’re at the cusp of one of the biggest transformations in history – the shift to a hydrogen economy. Hydrogen is poised to drive everything from transportation to shipping, power generation, and infrastructure.”

Release of the project comes at a time when demand for hydrogen is rapidly increasing both in the US and globally. According to gasworld Business Intelligence, hydrogen demand in the US is set to rise exponentially, reaching 700 tonnes per day in 2030 and 6,000 tonnes per day in 2040.

Adding to that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), recently signed into law, is offering tax credits for low carbon hydrogen production and hydrogen fuel cell-electric vehicles.

Previously described as ‘the most significant legislation in history to tackle the climate crisis’ by President Biden, the Act could see producers of clean hydrogen gain up to $3 per kg of tax credits, as well as making up to $7,500 available for new hydrogen-electric vehicles.