Hydrogen Innovators

In this episode, we learn from Jason Sebastian, EVP of Market Operations at Questek Innovations on material challenges related to H2 and how his team mitigates these challenges through ICME - Integrated Computational Materials Engineering. 

It hasn’t been all sunshine and roses in the green H2 industry lately, only 4% of projects announced by 2030 have reached FID. Find out below what key mechanism can help us remove barriers:

Reinsurance!!!

Thrilled to launch our 18th episode of the Hydrogen Innovators Podcast with Dr. Kathrin Ebner, working on risk and (re)insurance at Munich Re. Give it a listen and learn more about how Kathrin and her team remove barriers in the green hydrogen world by offering risk transfer solutions for electrolyzers

In this podcast, we learn from Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power, how Plug Power is a one-stop-shop enabling the green hydrogen industry. 

Some key learnings include: 

• The key to excelling when vertically integrating is M&A and partnerships
• The challenge of integration/putting all the building blocks together is vastly underestimated
• Plug Power sees a lot of potential for hydrogen in the long-term in the stationary power market, replacing natural-gas peaker plants. 

At the end of the podcast, Andy shares some of the principles that guide him as a leader incl: 

• The power of listening
• Stay calm during crisis and always move forward
• Character matters

In this episode, we learn from Florence Lambert, CEO of Genvia, a French high-temperature electrolyzer company. 

Key take-aways include 

• We will need a wide range of electrolyzer technologies to decarbonize our hydrogen industry:
  • Alkaline: (+) Proven tech, easy to manufacture (-) Less efficient, bigger footprint
  • PEM: (+) More flexible and smaller footprint (-) Not yet proven and more expensive 
  • SOEC (High-T):  (+) Solid oxide electrolyzers are at least 15% more efficient and 30% more efficient than low-temperature electrolyzers when waste heat is available (-) Less proven
• The attributes of high-temperature electrolyzers make them especially attractive in industrial use cases (e.g. steel, chemicals..) where heat can be recovered and integrated in the hydrogen production cycle 
• It isn't easy to win in manufacturing in Europe, which makes it even more important to be at the forefront of technology 

At the end of the episode, Florence leaves us with some golden career (and life) advice - "listen to your intuition, and take risks"

In this episode,  David Jaramillo, Co-founder and CTO at Verne, explains how Verne's technology innovation enables cost-effective clean hydrogen storage and refueling to decarbonize heavy-duty transport. 

Verne's unique storage technology cry-compression enables a higher energy density than liquefied or pressurized (up to 700 bar) hydrogen at at least half the cost. 

Sheldon Kimber, CEO and Founder of Intersect Power, demystifies hydrogen project development. Some of his golden rules and insights on effective project development include:

1️⃣ Innovative financing for large projects is typically

2️⃣ Not every long-term contract is a good contract

3️⃣ The current “flight to quality” for financiers leads to a consolidation in the project development market

4️⃣ Hydrogen deployment is much more than just a technology game. The business model matters!

Nuggets of inspiration

💡It is not about how fast the company can grow, it is about how fast you can grow

💡 Sheldon’s version of success is being a transcendent leader and being “good” at the same time

David Burns, VP of Clean Energy at Linde, sheds light on Linde’s journey in hydrogen from legacy to pioneering new tech. Some of the key insights are:

1️⃣ Linde can build on its decades of experience in hydrogen to catalyze the clean hydrogen industry

2️⃣ For short-distance transport, David sees potential in hydrogen pipelines where possible and liquified hydrogen in other cases.

3️⃣ For long-distance, intercontinental transport David sees potential in hydrogen carriers incl. methanol and ammonia

4️⃣ David points to ammonia's potential as energy carrier, not necessarily hydrogen carrier, by finding use-cases for ammonia directly”

5️⃣ To keep costs down, the best option is still to limit the need to transport hydrogen. This is the concept behind the regional US hydrogen hubs

Nugget of inspiration

💡Since David switched to working on clean energy, the new generation (amongst which David's kids) are more interested in and inspired by his work

Commercial aviation has been identified as a contributor of greenhouse emissions, and is perhaps one of the most difficult industries to decarbonize--but there is a plan! Amanda Simpson, Vice President of Airbus Americas for Research and Technology and Head of Sustainability, talks about the options and opportunities within the aviation industry which will help achieve the goal of net-zero carbon aviation by 2050. Listeners will gain insight into the technological challenges, development timelines, and infrastructure impacts of potential solutions that will influence the aerospace industry.