ISO/TS 19870:2023

TECHNICAL ISO/TS
SPECIFICATION 19870
First edition
2023-11
Hydrogen technologies —
Methodology for determining the
greenhouse gas emissions associated
with the production, conditioning and
transport of hydrogen to consumption
gate
Technologies de l'hydrogène — Méthodologie pour déterminer
les émissions de gaz à effet de serre associées à la production, au
conditionnement et au transport de l'hydrogène jusqu'au point de
consommation
Reference number
© ISO 2023
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 2
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms . 2
3.1 Quantification of the Carbon Footprint of a Product . 2
3.2 Products, product systems and processes . 5
3.3 Transport . 7
3.4 Life Cycle Assessment .13
3.5 Organizations . 15
3.6 Data and Data Quality .15
3.7 Abbreviated Terms . 17
4 Evaluation Methods .18
4.1 Evaluation Basis . 18
4.1.1 General Principles . 18
4.1.2 Attributional approach . 19
4.1.3 Consequential approach . 19
4.2 Product reporting . 19
4.2.1 Product System Boundary . 19
4.2.2 Selected Cut-Off Criteria . 22
4.2.3 Evaluation Elements .22
4.2.4 Evaluation cycle . 25
4.3 Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions . 25
4.3.1 Process description and data quality . 25
4.3.2 Emissions inventory .26
4.4 Life Cycle Assessment Report . 51
5 Critical review .51
Bibliography .52
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
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electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use
of (a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
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www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 197, Hydrogen technologies, Subcommittee
SC 1, Hydrogen at scale and horizontal energy systems.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The Paris Agreement was adopted at the UN Climate Change conference (COP21) with the aims of:
strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, restricting global temperature rise
to below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 °C
above pre-industrial levels. To meet these goals, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to be reduced by
about 45 % from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero in 2050 (IPCC, 2018; UNFCCC, 2021).
GHG initiatives on mitigation rely on the quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of GHG
emissions and/or removals. International Standards that support the transformation of scientific
knowledge into tools can help in reaching the targets of the Paris Agreement to address climate change.
ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 define the principles, requirements and guidelines identified in existing
International Standards on life cycle assessment (LCA). The ISO 14060 series provides clarity and
consistency for quantifying, monitoring, reporting and validating or verifying GHG emissions
and removals to support sustainable development through a low-carbon economy. It also benefits
organizations, project proponents and stakeholders worldwide by providing clarity and consistency on
quantifying, monitoring, reporting and validating or verifying GHG emissions and removals.
ISO 14067 is based on the principles, requirements and guidelines on LCA identified in ISO 14040 and
ISO 14044 and aims to set specific requirements for the quantification of a carbon footprint (CFP) and
a partial CFP.
ISO 14067 defines the principles, requirements and guidelines for the quantification of the carbon
footprint of products. Its aim is to quantify GHG emissions associated with the lifecycle stages of a
product, beginning with resource extraction and raw material sourcing and extending through the
production, use and end-of-life stages of the product.
Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between ISO 14067 and other ISO documents on LCA.
PCR Product category rule
Figure 1 — Relationship between standards beyond the GHG management family of standards
(source ISO 14067:2018)
Hydrogen can be produced from diverse sources including renewables, nuclear and fossil fuels using
carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) to reduce the emissions associated with its production.
Hydrogen can be used to decarbonize numerous sectors including transport, industrial manufacturing
and power generation.
v
A particular challenge is that identical hydrogen molecules can be produced and combined from
sources that have different GHG intensities. Similarly, hydrogen-based fuels and derivatives will be
indistinguishable and can be produced from hydrogen combined with a range of fossil and low-carbon
inputs. Indeed, some of the products made from hydrogen (e.g. electricity) can themselves be used in the
production of hydrogen. Accounting standards for different sources of hydrogen along the supply chain
(see Figure 2) will be fundamental to creating a market for low-carbon hydrogen, and these standards
need to be agreed upon internationally. Additionally, there is the possibility that consumption gates
are not located in proximity to hydrogen production gates, requiring hydrogen transport. ISO 14083
gives guidelines for the quantification and reporting of GHG emissions arising from transport chain
operations.
A mutually recognized international framework that is robust, avoids miscounting or double counting
of environmental impacts is needed. Such a framework will provide a mutually agreed approach to
“guaranties" or “certificates” of origin, and cover greenhouse gas inputs used for hydrogen production,
conditioning, conversion and transport.
This document aims at increasing the methodologies that should be applied, in line with ISO 14067, to
the specific case of the hydrogen value chain, covering different production processes and other parts
of the value chain, such as conditioning hydrogen in different physical states, conversion of hydrogen
into different hydrogen carriers and the subsequent transport up to the consumption gate.
Figure 2 — Examples of hydrogen supply chain
vi
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 19870:2023(E)
Hydrogen technologies — Methodology for determining
the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
production, conditioning and transport of hydrogen to
consumption gate
1 Scope
ISO 14044 requires the goal and scope of an LCA to be clearly defined and be consistent with the
intended application. Due to the iterative nature of LCA, it is possible that the LCA scope needs to be
refined during the study.
This document specifies methodologies that can be applied to determine the carbon footprint of a
product (CFP) or partial CFP of a hydrogen product in line with ISO 14067. The goals and scopes of the
methodologies correspond to either approach a) or b), given below, that ISO 14040:2006, A.2 gives as
two possible approaches to LCA.
a) An approach that assigns elementary flows and potential environmental impacts to a specific
product system, typically as an account of the history of the product.
b) An approach that studies the environmental consequences of possible (future) changes between
alternative product systems.
Approaches a) and b) have become know
...