The CANDHy project started in September 2023 and plans to complete its work in August 2026.
Less than a year after its inception, CANDHy organised its first workshop, with the aim of bringing together and highlighting projects that have been born with similar purposes. The OPTHYCS, PilgrHYm, THOTH2 and SHIMMER projects were invited to this first event. Aragon Hydrogen Foundation coordinates CANDHy and is a partner of the other projects.
During the workshop, Vanesa Gil Hernández, ARAID researcher at FHa, highlighted that in the course of the project, research is carried out on the reactions that occur when hydrogen (H2) is injected into the natural gas network. In addition, he mentioned that within the project work is being carried out in four test facilities: H2TestLab facility, HIGGS test platform, RICE facility and DeltaH.
CANDHy will consolidate and produce comprehensive data to enable safe distribution of hydrogen in the low pressure gas network, in particular for non-steel metallic materials.
OPTHYCS, PilgrHYm, THOTH2 and SHIMMER: novel methodologies for mixing, measurement and safety
On the other hand, the THOTH2 project, in similarity to CANDHy, focuses on the design of novel methodologies and measurement testing of natural gas and hydrogen mixtures, among other things. THOTH2 partners are fully aware that, to date, H2 blending is limited, due to the uncertainty of the impact on the devices installed in the gas value chain. Another important fact to take into account is that the regulatory framework is still under construction, so there is a long way to go.
On another front, the OPTHYCS project is developing new sensor technology to enhance the safety level of H2 applications, both in new infrastructures, working with pure H2, and in reused natural gas plants and pipelines. Its contribution will also be based on a safe and economically viable application of H2 production, transport and storage processes.
In addition, OPTHYCS, like CANDHy, has validation centres. In this case there are three locations: one at the Enagas facilities, Zaragoza; the other will be located at GRTgaz and the third at the Aragon Hydrogen Foundation.
To continue with safety issues in the applications, SHIMMER’s intention is to enable greater integration and safer management of hydrogen injection in multi-gas networks, improving the understanding of hydrogen projects, their risks and opportunities.
Last but not least, PilgrHYm comes with pre-normative research on hydrogen reused gas pipeline integrity assessment protocols and mitigation guidelines. During the workshop they showed the first results obtained so far: they have achieved the collection of data from Transmission System Operators (TSO), the selection and analysis of materials, and the definition of the harmonised test matrix.
While technicians and specialists investigate, meanings are being woven. The wait for hydrogen projects continues to raise questions, but during this time of research and results, hope is growing.
