Periodic Reporting for period 1 - eGHOST (Establishing Eco-design Guidelines for Hydrogen Systems and Technologies)
Período documentado: 2021-01-01 hasta 2022-06-30
The eGHOST project is the first milestone for the development of eco-design criteria in the European hydrogen sector. According to important documents such as the European Green Deal, the new Industrial Strategy for Europe and the Circular Economy Directive, eco-design is a strategic factor for the fulfilment of the EU's commitment to a climate-neutral and circular economy in 2050. Thus, eGHOST aspires to become a reference for the transition to such an economy by supporting the fuel cells and hydrogen (FCH) sector with a framework for the eco-(re)design of mature and emerging products and the promotion of FCH technologies as a sustainable investment.
eGHOST contributes to positioning FCH in this context by developing the first preparatory study of a hydrogen product under the guiding principles of the Eco-design Directive. By the end of 2023, two guidelines for specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks) will be completed and the lessons learnt will be integrated into the eGHOST White Book, a reference guidance book for any future eco-design project of FCH systems. In this way, eGHOST will improve the understanding of FCH technologies as a sustainable investment under the EU Taxonomy.
eGHOST contributes to positioning FCH in this context by developing the first preparatory study of a hydrogen product under the guiding principles of the Eco-design Directive. By the end of 2023, two guidelines for specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks) will be completed and the lessons learnt will be integrated into the eGHOST White Book, a reference guidance book for any future eco-design project of FCH systems. In this way, eGHOST will improve the understanding of FCH technologies as a sustainable investment under the EU Taxonomy.
A methodological framework for the eco-(re)design of mature and emerging products has already been developed through the adaptation and preliminary application of life cycle thinking methodologies (Deliverables 2.1 2.2 and 2.3). Moreover, a base case of a PEMFC stack has already been defined and applied within the context of the Eco-design Directive (Deliverable 2.4).
Full application of the eGHOST eco-design methodology has started for the final development of the two guidelines for specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks) and the eGHOST White Book. As an intermediate result, a set of eco-designed product concepts has already been defined for the PEMFC case study (Deliverable 3.1) and another is currently in progress for the SOEC case study.
The research activity carried out so far has led to a significant number of scientific contributions to conferences such as the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Piero Lunghi Conference (EFC 2021), the European Hydrogen Energy Conference (EHEC 2022) and the 23rd World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC 2022).
Full application of the eGHOST eco-design methodology has started for the final development of the two guidelines for specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks) and the eGHOST White Book. As an intermediate result, a set of eco-designed product concepts has already been defined for the PEMFC case study (Deliverable 3.1) and another is currently in progress for the SOEC case study.
The research activity carried out so far has led to a significant number of scientific contributions to conferences such as the European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Piero Lunghi Conference (EFC 2021), the European Hydrogen Energy Conference (EHEC 2022) and the 23rd World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC 2022).
eGHOST will go a step beyond the current state of the art in eco-design by incorporating eco-efficiency and social life cycle assessment of FCH products. Therefore, eGHOST proposes a sustainable (re)design of FCH products by minimising their life-cycle environmental, economic and social impacts of the products. This will contribute to the consideration of FCH products as sustainable investments according to the EU Taxonomy by improving their performance under environmental, economic and social aspects. As a key novelty, eGHOST supports the corporate social responsibility of the European FCH sector by identifying the main social concerns across supply chains. Another innovative aspect refers to the implementation of a prospective approach in the life cycle thinking tools used to assess the performance of emerging FCH products.
eGHOST provides the grounds for future preparatory studies according to the Eco-design Directive. At the end of the project, the main outcomes of the eGHOST project will include detailed eco-design guidelines for two specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks), as well as general eco-design guidelines for FCH products (eGHOST White Book).
eGHOST provides the grounds for future preparatory studies according to the Eco-design Directive. At the end of the project, the main outcomes of the eGHOST project will include detailed eco-design guidelines for two specific FCH products (PEMFC and SOEC stacks), as well as general eco-design guidelines for FCH products (eGHOST White Book).