Topic: Hydrogen Safety in Grid Applications

Chairman: Dr. Nirmal Gnanapragasam, President / CEO, Canadian Hydrogen Safety Centre (CH2SC)

Workshop Scope:

Hydrogen in Grid Applications: 30 minElectricity Storage – as compressed hydrogen gas in above ground and underground options.

Generator Coolant – within baseload generating stations.

Power-to-X Plants – where electricity is commoditized as hydrogen for feedstock

Hydrogen Safety in Grid Applications: 45 minHydrogen Safety – properties, inherent safety principles, safety events and accidents.

Safety Planning – layers on information, strategy, analysis, design and integration.

Applications Mapping – forecast apparent and non-apparent problems, mapping regulations, codes, and standards (RCS).

Hydrogen Safety in an Electrolyzer Plant – Case Study: 45 minCurrent Design – plant layout, risks relating to the current design and thinking, review of proposed mitigation options.

Safety by Design – discuss design changes to showcase safety by design through inherent principles for the plant.

Invited Speaker

Bio: Dr. Nirmal Gnanapragasam is the President & CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen Safety Centre (CH2SC) and President & CEO of SuhaNium, a sustainability consulting firm. With over 18 years of experience in clean energy systems, he brings deep expertise in hydrogen systems and safety, nuclear energy, hydrogen isotopes, energy storage, and advanced decarbonization technologies, drawing on senior R&D roles at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, and Ontario Tech University. A recognized industry leader and technical advisor, Dr. Gnanapragasam has led national hydrogen initiatives and major projects in hydrogen transportation, safety frameworks, nuclear–hydrogen integration, and fleet decarbonization. He serves as a Board Director with the Canadian Hydrogen Association, holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Ontario.

Short Summary/Scope: Dr. Nirmal Gnanapragasam explores the role of hydrogen in grid-scale energy systems, with a focus on electricity storage, generator cooling, and power-to-X applications. It examines hydrogen safety fundamentals and safety-by-design principles across grid applications, including risk identification, safety planning, and alignment with regulations, codes, and standards. The talk concludes with a real-world electrolyzer plant case study, highlighting practical design considerations, risk mitigation strategies, and how inherent safety principles can be integrated into hydrogen infrastructure from the outset.