Meet Our GH2 Buyers at Catalyst H2™

Every green hydrogen hub starts with scaled offtakers. At Catalyst H2, hear from a select panel of buyers who are establishing the “return on sustainability.”

Establishing the “Return on Sustainability” – Conversation with Buyers About the Business Case for Green Hydrogen

This session will address the perspective of various innovative, at-scale green hydrogen buyers and how they have approached risk sharing, creative contracting, branding, and partnership with their supply chain partners. This session will also address the “green premium” and innovative ways that policy/market innovation can enable many more offtakers to adopt green hydrogen at scale.

• Cihang Yuan, Senior Program Officer of Climate and Energy, World Wildlife Fund (Moderator)

  Cihang is the Senior Program Officer of Climate and Energy at World Wildlife Fund. She focuses on accelerating corporate climate actions and industrial decarbonization. WWF is the co-founder of the Renewable Thermal Collaborative (RTC). The RTC is the global coalition for companies, institutions, and governments committed to scaling up renewable heating and cooling at their facilities. Cihang leads the RTC’s green hydrogen work. The RTC’s green hydrogen working group is one of the very few initiatives focusing on the role of energy consumers in the hydrogen industry.

• Matt Miyasato, VP of Strategic Growth and Government Affairs, FirstElement Fuel

  As the VP of Strategic Growth and Government Affairs, Matt is responsible for expanding the policies that enable FirstElement Fuel’s True Zero network — the world’s most extensive network of hydrogen fueling stations for light-duty, medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. FirstElement Fuel is the largest retail hydrogen station provider in the world. Matt will address lessons learned to date on initiating a new fueling infrastructure for transportation.

• Sam Schabacker, Associate Director, University of California Office of the President

  Sam leads biogas and hydrogen origination, procurement and contract negotiation for the University of California’s Office of the President, the system-wide headquarters of the University of California. The UCOP provides a common vision for the university, supporting the activities that are central to UC’s public mission at its 10 campuses and five medical centers. With respect to climate goals, UC has been making major investments to decarbonize its buildings and vehicle fleet since 2013. Sam will share how green hydrogen is a key tool in UC’s decarbonization toolkit, complementing UC’s electrification, energy efficiency, and renewable electricity solutions.

• Kevin Nishimura, VP of Operations, Hawaii Gas

  Since 1904, Hawaii Gas has been the only franchised gas utility in the State of Hawai'i, operating a 1,100-mile gas pipeline network and synthetic natural gas (SNG) production plant on O’ahu.  Notably, the existing pipeline network currently accommodates a mix of SNG, renewable natural gas, and natural gas with up to 15% hydrogen by volume. Earlier this year, Hawai’i Gas issued a request for proposal for up to 65,000 therms of RNG, and up to 2,300 kg per day of renewable hydrogen. While the results of this RFP are confidential, Kevin will address his experience and lessons learned in RFP development and in the RFP response more generally.

• Matt Dickinson, Sustainability Director, Fenix Marine Services

  Fenix Marine Services operates one of largest container terminals in the Port of Los Angeles. With four berths (1,000 feet each) a minimum of 50’ deep, 16 container cranes, ample rail and truck capacity, advanced information systems, a skilled workforce, and a commitment to continuous innovation, Fenix is on the leading edge of terminal performance today and tomorrow, at the heart of the busiest container port in the Western Hemisphere. Regarding GH2, Fenix has been focusing on deploying cargo handling equipment and retrofitting diesel-powered equipment to utilize green hydrogen-fueled equipment with zero emissions. Matt will address progress and lessons learned to date and what full conversation from diesel to GH2 fuel could mean in terms of procurement and air quality for Los Angeles.

• Lucas Moller, COO, Nightpeak Energy

  Nightpeak Energy develops, owns, and operates power plants that support the growing capacity needs of a decarbonized grid, including new energy storage projects, retrofitting existing generators, and developing new sites to generate clean firm dispatchable power using clean fuels such as green hydrogen.  Lucas will address his sites’ requirements for green hydrogen, and implications for GH2 procurement.