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30.06.2026 | Story

Standards and Regulations

Renewable Energies Energy Generation

When it comes to hydrogen technologies, the standards landscape is currently undergoing dynamic development. Many standards are being revised or newly developed at this time. In general, global norms and standardization are essential for the hydrogen economy to ensure the integrity and performance of sealing systems under widely varying pressure and temperature conditions.

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Which norms and standardizations must be met by seals in the hydrogen value chain?

Which legal framework conditions apply where? The following frameworks cover the key regulatory and normative requirements for seals and sealed assemblies across the entire H2 value chain – from electrolyzers, pressure equipment and pipelines, transport and H2 refueling, all the way to onboard systems. As the Chinese hydrogen market is developing with significant momentum, we will begin with three GB standards that apply in China and then broaden the focus to global guidelines.

Which standards and regulations must be met by seals in hydropower plants?

Hydropower sealing systems are also governed by national and international standards. Many of these standards are continuously updated. Below is a selection of relevant European and international guidelines. For project-specific planning, we recommend a consultation with seal manufacturers and certification bodies.

  • H₂ China Standards
    Segment Standard/regulation Region What it covers (briefly) / relevance to seals
    H₂ purity classes GB/T 40060-2021 China Pure hydrogen, high-purity hydrogen, and ultra-high purity hydrogen (English version) WEBSITE
    H₂ storage GB/T 37244-2018 China Technical requirements for the storage and transport of liquid hydrogen (English version) WEBSITE
    H₂ as a fuel GB/T 3634.2-2011 China Fuel specification for vehicles with proton exchange membrane fuel cells – hydrogen (English version) WEBSITE
  • H₂ Safety Standards
    Segment Standard/regulation Region What it covers (briefly) / relevance to seals
    Electrolyzers (safety/design) ISO 22734 Global Design, safety, and performance requirements for water electrolyzers (PEM, AEM, alkaline) WEBSITE
    H₂ systems in areas at risk of explosions IEC 60079 series Global/EU Explosion protection requirements for components, valves, seals WEBSITE
    Explosion protection – product law ATEX 2014/34/EU EU/EEA Conformity requirements for equipment in hazardous areas WEBSITE
    Explosion protection – occupational safety ATEX 1999/92/EC EU/EEA Workplace zoning and safety requirements affecting seals and valves WEBSITE
    Pressure equipment PED 2014/68/EU EU/EEA Safety requirements for pressure equipment including seals and assemblies WEBSITE
    Hydrogen safety guideline ISO/TR 15916 Global Safety principles for hydrogen systems (materials, leakage, hazards) WEBSITE
    “Green” certification framework EU 2023/1184 EU Methodology and criteria for renewable hydrogen (GHG, correlation, additionality) WEBSITE
  • H₂ Pipelines & Pressure Vessels
    Segment Standard/regulation Region Relevance
    H₂ pipelines & piping ASME B31.12 “Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines” USA / international application Design/manufacture/testing for gaseous and liquefied H₂ (industrial piping and pipelines). Includes rules for materials, welds, and testing – sealing systems for flanges and expansion joints must be able to accommodate hydrogen-specific loads WEBSITE
    Pressure vessels (H₂ service) ASME BPVC Sect. VIII, Div. 3, Art. KD-10 (special H₂ requirements) USA / international application High-pressure H₂: Additional requirements for fracture toughness, fatigue, material limits; refers to API RP 941 (H₂ attack). Relevant for sealing integrity at extreme pressures WEBSITE
  • H₂ Materials & Storage
    Segment Standard/regulation Region Relevance
    Material compatibility (cylinders/valves) ISO 11114-1 (metallic materials)
    ISO 11114-2 (non-metallic materials)
    ISO 11114-4 (H₂ embrittlement – selection tests)     		Global Assessment of compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with H₂ (embrittlement, chemical interaction). Important for seals, liners, and valve seats WEBSITE
    Steel and composite cylinders ISO 9809-1 (seamless steel), ISO 11119 series (composite, types 2–4) Global Design, manufacture, and testing of H₂ pressure vessels; requirements for valves, sealing surfaces, and tests influence the sealing concepts WEBSITE
    Cryogenic vessels (LH₂) (LH₂) ISO 21009-1 (static vacuum-insulated – design and tests) Global Requirements for LH₂ tanks (strength, leak-tightness, testing, materials) – essential for seals in cold/vacuum-insulated environments WEBSITE
  • H₂ Transport Standards
    Segment Standard/regulation Region Relevance
    Road transport (ADR) ADR 2025 (UN ECE) – incl. UN 1966 LH₂, class 2 Europe / other signatory states Classification, packaging, tanks, operation – technical requirements and testing for tanks, connections, and sealing systems (cold, vibration, pressure) WEBSITE
    Transportable pressure equipment TPED 2010/35/EU EU/EEA Uniform legal framework for design, conformity, and recurring inspections (cylinders, MEGCs, tanks) – including “π” marking. Sealing components must comply with testing intervals WEBSITE
  • H₂ Refuelling & Standards
    Segment Standard/regulation Region Relevance
    H₂ refuelling stations (general requirements) ISO 19880-1:2020 Global Minimum requirements for the design, installation, operation, inspection, and maintenance of HRS (dispensing, compressor, storage, pre-cooling). Critical: leakage limits, leak-tightness tests, hose/valve performance WEBSITE
    Valves in HRS ISO 19880-3:2018 Global Safety performance and test methods for high-pressure gas valves (up to H70) – leak-tightness under pressure and cycling requirements WEBSITE
    Hoses and hose assemblies ISO 19880-5 Global Requirements for hoses up to 70 MPa (materials, design, testing – permeation, cycling, flexing). Parallel in NA: CSA/ANSI HGV 4.22 WEBSITE
    Fuel quality of H₂ ISO 14687 / EN 17124:2022 Global / EU Specification (limit values) for H₂ purity (PEM fuel cells) – direct requirements for material purity/leachables of seals to avoid contamination WEBSITE
    Nozzle/coupling standard ISO 17268 Global Design/safety features of nozzle and receptacle, incl. sealing surfaces, locking, materials, test methods WEBSITE
    Refuelling protocol SAE J2601 USA / International Pressure and temperature profiles, end-of-fill targets; requirements for pre-cooling and leak-tight sealing systems under rapid cycling WEBSITE
    U.S. protection standards – fire protection NFPA 2 / NFPA 55 USA Distances, ventilation, emergency shutdowns, materials and testing requirements for stations, storage and pipelines WEBSITE
  • H₂ Vehicle Standards
    Segment Standard/regulation Region Relevance
    Vehicle fuel systems SAE J2579 (reaffirmed 2023) USA / International Requirements for the design, operation, and verification of H₂ storage and handling systems in vehicles (leak tightness, crash leakage, service life) WEBSITE
    Onboard containers ISO 19881 – Road vehicle fuel containers, supplementary Global Requirements for pressure vessels and piping – interfaces with vehicle couplings and sealing faces (often anchored in OEM/type-approval standards) WEBSITE
  • H₂ Certification
    Topic Framework/Source Key point
    H₂ certification – fundamentals Hydrogen certification 101 (IEA H₂ TCP/IPHE) Terminology, roles (scheme owner, certification, issuing, accreditation bodies), chain of custody (mass balance vs. book & claim), mutual recognition – important for cross-border trade and consistent requirements for materials and processes (e.g. cleanliness of seals) WEBSITE
    Standardization and digital documentation H₂ global policy brief “Standardizing Hydrogen Certification” Harmonization steps, role of ISO/WD/TS 19870 (GHG methodology), Digital Product Passport / blockchain for traceability – supports conformity of components/materials in supply chains WEBSITE
    GHG methodology for H₂ ISO/TS 19870 (in progress; derived from IPHE methodology) Uniform methodology for determining greenhouse gas emissions from production, conditioning and transport – important for documentation (RFNBO, CBAM) and indirectly for material and process selections (e.g. low-leaching sealing materials) WEBSITE

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The hydrogen economy is experiencing rapid growth and is regarded as a key element of the energy transition. This development is being driven by the pres-sure to decarbonize, ensure energy security and meet the growing demand of the industry. At the same time, increasing technical and regulatory requirements are appearing along the entire hydrogen value chain – and seals are safety-critical components in these processes.

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Sealing requirements along the H2 value chain

The requirements for sealing solutions are defined by the media and temperatures involved in hydrogen production and processing, transport, storage, and use.

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New production methods for seals in the hydrogen and electrolyzers sector

Experimental curiosity is accelerating the development of forward-looking solutions, especially in the energy sector. This inventive spirit also fuels continuous advancement in materials, manufacturing processes and sealing solutions at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. Because one thing is clear: Seals are the decisive factors that enable efficiency, safety, and predictable life cycle costs in hydrogen systems. They are the technology drivers that make it possible to achieve the targeted cost and scaling effects.

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Renewable Energies Energy Generation
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