Safety strategy for the first deployment of a hydrogen-based green public building in France

•A hydrogen-based energy storage system, the Greenergy Box™ is being deployed in a French Public Buildings, a Kid Leisure Centre.•The implementation requirements were defined by analogy to cogeneration system in the French Public Building Regulation.•The involvement of the Fire Authorities has been a key fact for the pre-validation of the Greenergy Box™ installation within the Children's Leisure Centre.•Fire Authorities involvement is central not only for the permitting process from a safety point of view but also for hydrogen public acceptance.

HELION, a subsidiary of AREVA in charge of the business unit Hydrogen and energy storage, is deploying for the first time in a French public building, a hydrogen-based energy storage system, the Greenergy Box™. The 50 kWe system is coupled with a photovoltaic farm to ensure up to 45% electrical autonomy and power backup to the building. The safety system and siting measures of the complete hydrogen chain are described. The paper also highlights the work accomplished with Fire Authorities and Public to gain the acceptance of the project and allow the deployment of four other hydrogen-based green buildings.