Australian hydrogen expert launches advisory firm to accelerate hydrogen economy

Professor Kondo-Francois Aguey-Zinsou, who leads the Hydrogen Energy Research Centre (HERC) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and was integral to developing the groundbreaking metal-hydride solid-state storage medium in collaboration with LAVO, has launched a new hydrogen advisory firm called H2Potential. 

In collaboration with LAVO, Aguey-Zinsou helped produced the world’s first residential/commercial hydrogen battery, which stores 40 kWh of energy — that’s three times the capacity of a Tesla Powerwall 2, at 13.5 kWh. 

Aguey-Zinsou says this experience proved that Australia is at the cutting edge of the hydrogen revolution, and that now it is his duty to help other organisations do similar. 

“My life’s objective is to advance the hydrogen economy,” Aguey-Zinsou said. “It is a fantastic tool to help our planet survive the carbon age but we need continuous research to advance the technologies we need to get them to the state and scale required.” 

The aim of H2Potential is to make the hydrogen economy a reality. 

To do this, Aguey-Zinsou says the firm will act as an incubator and an accelerator of some of the world’s most promising hydrogen businesses, as well as acting as an advisor to already established companies looking to “play a role in the hydrogen revolution.” 

This is sure to keep Aguey-Zinsou busy, considering Goldman Sachs has called green hydrogen a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” and estimated that green hydrogen alone (not including grey and blue) “could give rise to a €10 trillion addressable market globally by 2050 for the utilities industry alone.”

“H2Potential will facilitate the rapid growth of hydrogen in Australia and around the world,” continued Aguey-Zinsou. “We will be a catalyst, helping create a carbon-free economy underpinned by renewables and hydrogen.”