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About RCS

Unified Standards for easy, efficient and safe access to technologies

Globally unified rules and approval processes accelerate time to market and provide consumers with standardized products. And you can participate in decisions.

Overview

The subject of RCS is complex, internationally oriented and continuously evolving. In order to get an overview of the topic, it is necessary to consider the following points.

Classification

Understand the difference between regulations, codes and standards.

Goals & Principles

Identify the goals of RCS and principles of standardization.

Relevance

Demonstrate the relevance of RCS to hydrogen and fuel cell technology.

Institutions

Present the resources that are available and still needed.

Organization

Know the organization and creation of the standardization process.

Technical rules

Understand the importance of technical rules.

Classification

Understand the difference between regulations, codes and standards.

Goals & Principles

Identify the goals of RCS and principles of standardization.

Relevance

Demonstrate the relevance of RCS to hydrogen and fuel cell technology.

Institutions

Present the resources that are available and still needed.

Organization

Know the organization and creation of the standardization process.

Technical rules

Understand the importance of technical rules.

General

What are RCS?

RCS is short for regulations, codes and standards. The topic includes, among other things: Regulations, guidelines, laws, codes, technical rules, technical standards and norms. Here, clear specifications and instructions are defined that deal with the subject of the respective technology or specify it.. The goals of international codes, standards and related activities are, for example, to facilitate the exchange of goods and services and to promote cooperation in scientific and economic activities. They should not act as non-tariff barriers.

Regulations are guidelines, codes and technical rules. Technical rules are discussed in more detail in the following section

Standardization explicitly describes itself as a vehicle of “mutual understanding.” Standards should be based on the verified results of economics, technology and experience, and aim to promote optimal benefits for society. (Source: GPM|PM3; 2010)

Goals of RCS

Regulation, Codes & Standards

Goals of RCS

Regulation, Codes & Standards

Principles of Standardization

ISO, IEC, CEN, CENELEC, DIN, DKE

Principles of Standardization

ISO, IEC, CEN, CENELEC, DIN, DKE
Relevance

Why are RCS important?

A large number of projects are being carried out worldwide in the field of hydrogen and fuel cell technology, and various committees and working groups are being set up to develop and revise standards and regulations. With a lack of transparency regarding the different activities, there is a risk of co-existence of different, technical requirements regarding partially identical technologies.

Since most players in the hydrogen and fuel cell industry operate internationally, harmonization of rules, regulations and standards at the international level is essential. Globally unified rules and approval procedures accelerate market introduction and provide consumers with standardized products that are safe, affordable and easy to use. The national positioning as well as international coordination of RCS related to hydrogen and fuel cells is therefore fundamental for the innovation and economic power of the future.
Classification

How do RCSs differentiate?

Basically, a distinction is made between “legally binding” and “legally non-binding”. Regulations are legally binding and must be followed in the respective nation states.

There are several levels of jurisdiction (UN – EU – DE). Increasingly, European and international regulations as well as guidelines for hydrogen and fuel cells are being issued and are replacing previous national regulations.

In case of a dispute in court, the technical rule is applied.

Published international or European standards are basically not legally binding. However, if there is a direct reference from the regulations to a specific standard, that standard may become legally binding, as it is the case, for example, with the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Directive (AFID).

Example of dependencies:
Institutions

Which Committees are involved?

Worldwide, many different sets of regulations are being created and committees established in connection with hydrogen and fuel cell technology. This results in a large number of different technical requirements – sometimes for identical technologies. It is therefore particularly important for successful, safe and efficient use to harmonize the regulations, codes and standards at national and international level.

With regard to the development of hydrogen and fuel cell standards, the following international committees are of particular importance:

ISO/IEC technical committees

  • ISO/TC (197, 158, 58, 22)
  • IEC/TC (105, 31)

 

CEN/CENELEC technical committees

  • CEN/TC 268/WG5
  • CEN-CLC/TC6
  • CEN-CLC/JTC 17
  • CLC/SR 105

The working committees of the German Commission for Electrical Engineering (DKE) are assigned to the technical committees of the IEC/CENELEC as German “mirror committees”. This means that only one German committee is responsible for all German, European and international work/collaboration in a specific subject area:

  • DKE/K 384
  • DKE/GUK 384.1

More information: DKE Normungsgremien

Nationally, the DIN Working Committee (DIN-AA) on hydrogen technology is one of the most important working committees. As a mirror committee, it feeds into ISO, CEN and CENELEC and is integrated into the DIN Standards Committee Gas Technology (NAGas). This specifies requirements in the area of gas supply and gas use.

More information: NAGas (din.de)

The German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water (DVGW) and the German Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (DWV) are working on the technical regulations.
More information: DVGW website: Hydrogen and energy transition

Organization

How does the Creation of Standards work?

Rules

Technical Rules

The Industrial Safety Ordinance (BetrSichV) regulates requirements for the safety and health protection of employees when using work equipment and for the protection of other people (“third parties”) in the danger area of systems that require monitoring.

The Technical Rules for Operational Safety (TRBS) specify the BetrSichV with regard to the determination and assessment of hazards and the derivation of suitable measures.

When applying the exemplarily mentioned measures in the TRBS, the employer can insofar claim the presumption of compliance with the regulations of the BetrSichV. If the employer chooses a different solution, he must provide written evidence of equivalent compliance with the ordinance.

TRBS

Examples of H₂-relevant TRBS:

Further technical rules can be found in the database.

Participate

Do you want to contribute to the rules and standards? Here you can find out how you can participate.

Haftungsausschluss

Trotz der Sorgfalt, die bei der Erstellung dieser Website beachtet wurde, gilt folgender Haftungsausschluss: Die Informationen auf dieser Website werden in ihrem derzeitigen Zustand zur Verfügung gestellt, und es wird keine Garantie oder Gewährleistung dafür übernommen, dass die Informationen für einen bestimmten Zweck geeignet sind. Der Benutzer verwendet die Informationen auf sein eigenes Risiko und Haftung. Die Informationen und die RCS Datenbank spiegelt die Ansichten der Autoren und Fachexperten wider. Die NOW GmbH haftet nicht für die Verwendung der hierin enthaltenen Informationen.

Disclaimer

Despite the care taken in creating this website, the following disclaimer applies: The information on this website is provided “as is” and no guarantee or warranty is given that the information is suitable for a particular purpose. The user uses the information at his own risk and liability. The information and the RCS database reflect the views of the authors and subject matter experts. NOW GmbH is not liable for the use of the information contained herein.