1st life extension & 2nd life of vehicle hydrogen storage systems
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB - RISE |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 499 449 |
| Project duration | June 2024 - May 2025 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Circularity - FFI |
| Call | Circularity - FFI - spring 2024 |
Important results from the project
A global analysis concludes that there are often no examples of continued use of hydrogen tanks after their regulatory service life. In the study, a few isolated local examples of lifetime extension in the original application were found. For use in other applications than the original (e.g., vehicle tanks for stationary storage), no examples were found. The project has fulfilled its purpose of highlighting the challenges associated with extended use, particularly from a regulatory perspective.
Expected long term effects
The project has provided a solid foundation for continued research. With this framework, further work can be broken down into more focused sub-steps. If the measures and inspections required for life extension can be economically justified, there is potential for the development of new technologies and methods — both for monitoring during operation and for quantitatively inspecting and assessing the tanks’ suitability for continued use.
Approach and implementation
We have had a good collaboration. In the beginning, a few participants left their positions, which created some additional work. However, we managed to find replacements who were more than well qualified for the role. We also extended the project by a few months. This turned out to be a good decision, as the regulations changed during the course of the project. The latest revision of a standard, which specifically addressed use in other applications, was published in April 2025.