Hydrogen is expected to play a key role as an energy carrier in the path towards global sustainability.
Nevertheless, right decisions are needed to make fuel cells and hydrogen (FCH) systems effective in this crusade.
Besides technological advancements, methodological solutions that allow checking the suitability of FCH systems under sustainability aspects from a life-cycle perspective are needed to sensibly support decision-making.
Such methodological contributions should rely on well-defined guidelines that allow a reliable assessment and benchmarking of FCH systems.
In this sense, sound guidelines for Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) of FCH systems are urgently needed
The goal of SH2E is to provide a harmonised (i.e., methodologically consistent) multi-dimensional framework for the LCSA and prospective benchmarking of FCH systems. To that end, we have listed the objectives below:
OBJECTIVE 1. Reformulation of FCH-specific guidelines for environmental Life Cycle Assessment.
OBJECTIVE 2. Implementation of material criticality indicator in the environmental framework.
OBJECTIVE 3. Extension of the FCH-specific life cycle assessment frameweork to the economic and social dimensions.
OBJECTIVE 4. Joint formulation of the FCH-specific “Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment and Benchmarking” guidelines.
OBJECTIVE 5. Testing and validation of the FCH-LCSA guidelines
STRAND 1. Environmental reformulation
Development of FCH-LCA guidelines: implementation of material criticality and environmental life cycle assessment.
STRAND 2. Harmonised extension
Development of FCH-LCC guidelines: life cycle costing. Development of FCH-SLCA guidelines: social life cycle assessment.
STRAND 3. Harmonised integration and demonstration
Development of FCH-LCSA guidelines: life cycle sustainability assessment and demonstration and validation.
