The European natural gas infrastructure provides the opportunity to accept hydrogen (H2), as a measure to integrate low-carbon gases while leveraging the existing gas network and contributing to decarbonisation. However, there are many technical and regulatory gaps that should be closed and adaptations and investments to be made to assure that multi-gas networks across Europe will be able to operate in a reliable and safe way while providing a highly controllable gas quality and required energy demand. Recently, the European Committee for Standardization concluded the impossibility of setting a common limiting value for hydrogen into the European gas infrastructure recommending a case-by-case analysis. In addition to this, there are still uncertainties related to material integrity on pipelines and networks components with regards to a reduced lifetime in presence of hydrogen. Existent results from previous and ongoing projects on the hydrogen readiness of grid components should be summarized in a systematic manner together with the assessment of the existent T&D infrastructure components at European level to provide stakeholders with decision support and risk reduction information to drive future investments and the development of regulations and standards.
The SHIMMER project (Safe Hydrogen Injection Modelling and Management for European gas network Resilience) aims to enable a higher integration and safer hydrogen injection management in multi-gas networks by contributing to the knowledge and better understanding of hydrogen projects, their risks, and opportunities. It will do this by:
• Mapping and assessing European gas T&D infrastructure in relation to materials, components, technology, and their readiness for hydrogen blends.
• Defining methods, tools and technologies for multi-gas network management and quality tracking, including simulation, prediction, and safe management of network operation in view of widespread hydrogen injection in a European-wide context.
• Proposing best practice guidelines for handling the safety of hydrogen in the natural gas infrastructure and managing the risks.
