Risk Analysis of the Hydrogen Supply Chain

This study addresses the issue of risk analysis within the hydrogen supply chain, proposing an integrated methodological approach for the assessment and mitigation of hazards throughout the entire operational cycle. The goal is to develop a methodological framework capable of representing, analyzing and optimizing the safety processes associated with the hydrogen value chain, with particular emphasis on the use of physical and digital safety barriers supported by advanced sensing technologies. The methodology is applied to two representative case studies: a green hydrogen supply and a BLEVE-type event involving a cryogenic storage tank. The results suggest that the integrated approach may improve significantly the ability to identify hazardous conditions at an early stage and to reduce response times. The application of the methodology to selected case studies has shown that safety barriers can be calibrated according to operational conditions and the criticality of individual processes.

Keywords: Hydrogen supply chain, Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA), Safety barriers, Process safety.