{"id":247774,"date":"2026-09-10T12:39:18","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T09:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azbuki.bg\/?p=247774"},"modified":"2026-09-10T12:39:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T09:39:18","slug":"safety-risks-and-zoning-approaches-at-multi-fuel-supply-stations-in-transitional-energy-systems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/press.azbuki.bg\/en\/xxvii-international-scientific-conference-transport-2025\/safety-risks-and-zoning-approaches-at-multi-fuel-supply-stations-in-transitional-energy-systems\/","title":{"rendered":"Safety Risks and Zoning Approaches at Multi-Fuel Supply Stations in Transitional Energy Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"

Zoran \u010cekerevac, Lyudmila Prigoda, Milanka Bogavac
\n<\/strong>MESTE \u2013 Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
\n<\/em>FSBEI HE \u201cMaikop State Technological University\u201d, Maykop, Russia
\n<\/em>Independent researcher, Belgrade, Serbia<\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/doi.org\/10.53656\/isct-2025.06<\/a><\/p>\n

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\nPDF<\/a><\/p>\n

Pages 60-77<\/em><\/p>\n

Abstract.\u00a0<\/strong>Multi-fuel supply stations represent infrastructural nodes characterized by high technical complexity and elevated safety risks, particularly in the context of transitioning to alternative fuels such as hydrogen, LNG, and CNG. This paper examines the principles of design and hazardous area classification from a consequence-based perspective, where safety measures are determined by the potential impact of incidents, rather than their likelihood of occurrence. Key functional safeguards are presented, including leak detection systems with automated responses, overfill protection technologies, and explosion-resistant structural components, all of which are coupled with the geometric organization of risk zones when handling flammable gases. Special attention is devoted to the global regulatory imbalance, comparing standards and legal frameworks across the EU, the United States, Japan, China, and Australia. The observed fragmentation hinders equipment harmonization and increases certification costs. This underscores the urgent need to establish universal minimum technical requirements. The paper concludes with proposals for further development, including incident scenario simulations, experimental thermal analyses, and evaluation of fire service preparedness as an integral component of the certification process. Supply stations must evolve into spaces of deliberate precision-rather than improvisation.<\/p>\n

Keywords:<\/em> Multi-fuel supply infrastructure; consequence-based zoning; technical safety standards; energy transition risks; risk mitigation strategies<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Introduction: Energy Transition and Technical Fragmentation in the Road Transport Sector<\/h1>\n

Europe is undergoing an energy transition marked by intensified regulatory pressures, geopolitical constraints, and increasing technical fragmentation. Unlike the 1973\u201374 oil crisis, which was triggered by an externally imposed embargo, the current natural gas crisis in the EU stems from internal political decisions, most notably restrictions on imports from Russia.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Table 1.<\/strong> Average Household Natural Gas Prices in the EU (\u20ac\/kWh) [1]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year<\/strong><\/td>\nPrice (\u20ac\/kWh)<\/strong><\/td>\nNote<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>\n~0.067 \u20ac<\/td>\nStable period before the energy crisis; low demand due to the pandemic<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>\n~0.09 \u20ac<\/td>\nPrice increases begin amid geopolitical tensions and CO\u2082 taxation<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>\n~0.17 \u2013 0.18 \u20ac<\/td>\nRecord spike due to the war in Ukraine and disrupted supply chains<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>\n~0.14 \u2013 0.15 \u20ac<\/td>\nMild stabilization: TTF market prices dropped to \u20ac39\u201352\/MWh [2]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Late 2024<\/td>\n~0.13 \u20ac<\/td>\nPost-crisis stabilization, yet still above pre-crisis levels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Summer 2025<\/td>\n~0.11 \u2013 0.12 \u20ac<\/td>\nSeasonal decline and fuller storage capacity [3]<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

The year 2020 marked the last phase of low and stable pricing before a series of geopolitical and market factors induced prolonged energy turbulence across the continent.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Table 2<\/strong>. <\/strong>Average Annual Prices of Gasoline (95 Octane) in Selected Countries [4, 5, 6]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Year<\/strong><\/td>\nGermany <\/strong><\/td>\nBulgaria<\/strong><\/td>\nSerbia <\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>\n1.15 \u20ac<\/td>\n0.82 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.25 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>\n1.90 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.30 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.40 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>\n2.20 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.74 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.65 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>\n2.02 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.48 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.60 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2024<\/td>\n1.97 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.45 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.61 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2025<\/td>\n1.67 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.23 \u20ac<\/td>\n1.53 \u20ac<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A comparative analysis of average annual gasoline prices in Germany, Bulgaria, and Serbia over the same period reveals notable disparities. Germany recorded its highest price point in March 2022 \u2013 1.91 times higher than in 2020 [4]. Bulgaria peaked in July 2022, with prices reaching 2.12 times the 2020 level [5]. Serbia experienced a steady increase until 2022, followed by mild stabilization; the cost per liter in July 2025 is approximately 179 RSD, or about \u20ac1.53 [6].<\/p>\n

European environmental transition policies have become increasingly stringent, enforced through emissions regulations, bans on internal combustion engines, and elevated tariffs on non-compliant technologies, all of which have been exacerbated by geopolitical tensions. These include trade disputes with the United States and the forecast of a conventional conflict with Russia by the year 2030 [7].<\/p>\n

This paradox, between striving for a cleaner atmosphere and preparing for industrial destruction, appears fundamentally illogical. Progress toward sustainability should not be accompanied by a spiral of conflicts that erode the very foundations of environmental advancement.<\/p>\n

Simultaneously, vehicle manufacturers are pursuing various adaptive strategies:<\/p>\n