Electrolyzers, pressure vessels, safety valves: all of these major components are meticulously designed, tested, and documented during the planning phase of a hydrogen plant. And then there’s the cabling. It often ends up on the list of things to “figure out somehow” just before the plant goes online. That’s a mistake that comes back to haunt you.
Hydrogen facilities are not ordinary industrial facilities. The gas is light, volatile, and flammable over a very wide range of concentrations in the air. This means that even small leaks can become a problem if the electrical installation has not been thoroughly planned. Sparks from faulty wiring, poor heat dissipation due to improperly routed cables, or a lack of protective measures in hazardous areas are not just theoretical risks, but issues that safety engineers face time and again in practice.
ATEX and What It Means in Practice
The ATEX Directive specifies which devices and installation components may be used in potentially explosive atmospheres. For hydrogen plants, Zones 1 and 2 are particularly relevant—that is, areas where explosive atmospheres may occur occasionally or rarely during normal operation. What many people underestimate is that the zone classification applies throughout the entire plant, even in areas that appear harmless at first glance.
When it comes to cable routing, this means that not only must the cable itself be certified, but also the path it follows. Cable ducts serve a dual purpose here. They provide mechanical protection for the cables against damage from vehicles, tools, or thermal effects. At the same time, they ensure a clear separation of power supply, control cables, and signal cables. Anyone who neglects this separation will sooner or later encounter EMC problems, which can have very unpleasant consequences for sensitive measurement equipment or safety control systems.
Choosing materials is not just a formality
In outdoor installations or areas where aggressive cleaning agents are used, choosing the right conduit material is extremely important. Plastic conduits made of polycarbonate or polyamide are lightweight and easy to install, but they reach their limits when exposed to prolonged UV radiation or temperatures exceeding 60 degrees.
For more demanding environments, planners are increasingly turning to stainless steel cable trays, which remain structurally stable even in damp or chemically corrosive areas.
At outdoor hydrogen refueling stations, for example, the combination of weather conditions, vehicle traffic, and safety requirements is particularly demanding. This is where a carefully planned cable duct installation pays off, because it not only makes operations safer but also makes maintenance much easier. Laying cables neatly in labeled, accessible ducts saves money at the next service interval.
Planning starts right at your desk
One aspect that still receives too little attention in practice is that cable routing should be planned with the same care as piping during the engineering phase. This is especially true if systems may need to be expanded later on. Designing cable ducts with sufficient capacity from the outset and planning for spare routes saves a considerable amount of effort during the next expansion phase.
Suppliers such as RS Online offer a wide selection of cable trays for such projects to meet a variety of requirements—from simple indoor installations to industrial outdoor applications. Standard components are particularly useful for projects with tight schedules, as they are readily available and do not require planning for long lead times.
Safety Is in the Details
Hydrogen has the potential to play a key role in the energy transition. For this to work, facilities must not only be technically sophisticated but also well thought out in every detail. Cable routing is part of that. Those who take it seriously build facilities that operate safely, are easy to maintain, and don’t hold any unpleasant surprises during inspections. This isn’t extra work—it’s solid engineering.
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