Transforming Global Energy!
The energy sector is undergoing a vital transformation, shifting from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to combat the global climate crisis. As our dependence on traditional fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas becomes increasingly untenable, the industry is seeking innovative solutions, including hydrogen, to satisfy the rising energy demand while minimizing carbon emissions. Green hydrogen, generated using renewable energy, presents a promising pathway for achieving substantial emission reductions and enhancing energy security. This shift is not only about adopting novel technologies but also reimagining how energy is produced, stored, and utilized across diverse sectors.
Nora Oberländer, Head of Business Development, is instrumental in steering this transformative process. With profound expertise in engineering and a passion for renewable technologies, she is spearheading initiatives to decarbonize various sectors through the integration of green hydrogen into energy systems. Nora’s leadership is characterized by her commitment to innovation and her ability to motivate her team to explore the frontiers of what is achievable within the industry. Her clear vision is to establish green hydrogen as a viable and widely adopted solution for reducing carbon emissions, especially in sectors where electrification proves inadequate.
At STOFF2, where Nora directs business development efforts, the emphasis is on propelling green hydrogen technology toward affordability and efficiency. The company’s innovative approach merges energy storage and hydrogen production, presenting a unique solution that tackles the challenges of energy storage, continuous hydrogen production, and the utilization of renewable energy. Through these advancements, STOFF2 aims to expedite the global transition to sustainable energy and solidify its position as a leader in the green hydrogen industry.
Let’s delve into Nora’s innovative leadership journey within the energy sector:
Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Renewable Molecules
Nora has always been intrigued by the potential of engineering and new technologies to enhance people’s lives. While pursuing her degrees in mechanical engineering and business, she recognized the critical significance of energy in every facet of modern existence. However, our reliance on fossil fuels is unsustainable, highlighting the urgent need to transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower.
Beginning her career in the solar industry, she quickly identified the need for alignment between renewable energy production and demand, emphasizing the importance of effective energy storage solutions. Technologies like hydrogen and batteries play vital roles: hydrogen for storing significant amounts of energy over extended periods, and batteries for smaller, short-term applications. These technologies complement one another across a variety of uses.
Her drive centers around decarbonizing industries, energy systems, chemical processes, and the mobility sector. Many people overlook the fact that approximately 80% of our current energy consumption derives from molecules, not electrons. This necessitates a transition from “grey” molecules sourced from coal, oil, and gas to “green” molecules produced from renewable sources like green hydrogen. While electrification is crucial wherever feasible, not all processes and applications can be fully electrified. For Nora, the exhilarating aspect lies in the fact that the technology required to produce green hydrogen—electrolyzers—already exists; it simply needs scaling up.
Expanding the Business Development Team
As the Head of Business Development at STOFF2, Nora’s primary responsibilities encompass understanding customer use cases and collaborating with them to develop projects. Her clientele includes hydrogen project developers, solar and wind energy operators, industrial enterprises, and utilities. She also prioritizes expanding the business development team, boosting efficiency with tools like CRM systems, and contributing to strategic planning within the management team.
The green hydrogen sector is still in its nascent phase and encounters challenges, especially concerning cost competitiveness with grey hydrogen. To tackle this issue, STOFF2 is offering an innovative product that merges the functionalities of a battery and an electrolyzer into one device. This provides a groundbreaking method of operating an electrolyzer system amid variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar, ensuring a steady supply of green hydrogen to customers 24/7. The system utilizes green energy during times of low prices. By making green hydrogen more affordable, STOFF2 aims to scale the industry and facilitate the decarbonization of diverse sectors.
Genuine Leadership and Team Empowerment
Nora advocates for genuine leadership that emphasizes supporting and cultivating the strengths of each team member. The overall success of the team hinges on everyone’s courage to act while maintaining a larger vision. To realize this, she sets clear annual goals, regularly reviews progress, and encourages active participation in the exchange of constructive feedback. Promoting a culture where feedback is viewed as a gift rather than a critique can make a significant difference.
She believes that leadership embodies values and the principles individuals choose to prioritize. Her leadership values encompass transparency, empathy, authenticity, accountability, and a sense of fun—because she asserts that there should always be space for enjoyment and opportunities for team bonding as the group grows together.
Shifting Industries to Green Hydrogen
At STOFF2, Nora and her team have developed a technology that facilitates the transition of industries from fossil fuels like gas and oil to green hydrogen, which has the potential to decarbonize 20% of global emissions. The production of green hydrogen necessitates green energy; however, much of this energy is currently curtailed due to overproduction from solar and wind sources during periods of low demand. The zinc-intermediate-step electrolysis technology (in German: ZZE – Zink- Zwischenschritt-Elektrolyseur) addresses this by storing surplus energy and generating green hydrogen on demand for specific applications.
STOFF2 manufactures hydrogen that is secure, cost-effective, and green. It’s green because renewable energy is harnessed to power the device, cost-effective because it capitalizes on lower or negative electricity prices during peak renewable generation hours, and secure since energy is stored in solid zinc form rather than as gaseous hydrogen.
Nora expresses particular enthusiasm for the EU-funded renewable energy flagship valley (REFORMERS project) in Alkmaar, Netherlands, as part of the Horizon Europe ambitions. This initiative links an existing wind and solar park with a hydrogen refueling station for heavy-duty vehicles in Alkmaar, involving 28 EU partners and laying the groundwork for six more replication valleys in the future.
In Germany, STOFF2 announced another flagship project in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, in partnership with Siz Energieplus to provide green hydrogen for fueling cell tests and a hydrogen refueling station. This represents the first STOFF2 electrolyzer deployed in a commercial industrial context and signifies a major milestone in the technology development roadmap. Overall, rapid progress is observed, and projects are advancing quickly. What STOFF2 requires now is speed and scale to propel decarbonization!
Blending Grey Hydrogen Expertise with New Innovations
Nora highlights that just a few years ago, green hydrogen was scarcely discussed, but now it is a central theme, particularly due to the energy crisis in Germany and across Europe. This crisis has emphasized the importance of energy independence for national development. The green hydrogen sector plays a crucial role in achieving this independence.
Globally, the hydrogen industry still relies on grey hydrogen, with approximately 95 million metric tons consumed annually, primarily manufactured from natural gas. Transitioning to green hydrogen necessitates merging this existing expertise with new innovations. This involves “sector coupling,” where traditionally separated energy, industry, mobility, and heat sectors must collaborate more closely. Although this seems straightforward, it presents significant practical challenges.
Nora contends that continuous learning is essential in this swiftly evolving technical, political, economic, and regulatory landscape; therefore, staying informed through industry news, events, and webinars, and allocating time for knowledge acquisition daily is fundamental for keeping up with transformation.
Maintaining Passion for Green Hydrogen and Personal Well-Being
Nora acknowledges that achieving a balance can be difficult at times. Nonetheless, her passion for the green hydrogen industry and its potential for meaningful impact drives her daily. Being at the forefront of a field that is positively shaping the future is incredibly motivating. In her personal life, she finds balance through her love for water sports.
This passion, cultivated during her university years, serves as the perfect antidote to her intellectual endeavors. There is nothing quite like the feeling of wind whipping through her hair while kitesurfing or the thrill of wakeboarding at a cable park after a long day’s work. For her, it’s the epitome of freedom, relaxation, and excitement.
According to Nora, while the green hydrogen industry demands continuous learning and dedication, balancing professional commitments with personal well-being enhances both individual growth and the collective capacity to drive the transition to sustainable energy.
Cultivating Enthusiasm and Optimism in Life
Kitesurfing and wakeboarding have imparted valuable lessons about teamwork, overcoming obstacles, and vision-building. In a sport like kitesurfing, the journey revolves around perseverance—falling, getting back up, and continually striving to try again. Mastering a new trick or achieving a higher jump requires embracing failure as a critical part of the process and overcoming challenges. This mirrors the professional landscape, where project development often necessitates resilience in the face of setbacks and the resolve to keep progressing.
More broadly, water sports have influenced Nora’s outlook on life by reaffirming that passion and commitment are crucial for success. They serve as reminders that with the right mindset, perseverance, and support, anything is achievable. This perspective drives her work ethic and inspires her to approach life with enthusiasm, optimism, and the belief that the sky is the limit.
Adapting to Change for Ongoing Success
Innovation lies at the heart of everything STOFF2 undertakes, from technology advancement to process optimization. As an agile scale-up, their greatest advantage is the capacity to innovate swiftly, unencumbered by the lengthy bureaucratic processes or legacy investments that often impede larger corporations.
It is crucial for STOFF2 to harness this agility to propel the company’s success. Additionally, it is understood that remaining innovative necessitates adaptability. When changes occur—and they inevitably will—there is a readiness to integrate these shifts into operational methodologies. A vital aspect of success lies in the dedication to nurturing an innovative mindset throughout the organization.
Guidance for Young Professionals in the Hydrogen Industry
Nora’s message to young professionals eager to enter the hydrogen sector and contribute positively to sustainability is to seize the opportunity! There has never been a better time to immerse oneself in the green hydrogen industry. It is rapidly expanding and requires passionate young professionals now more than ever. For anyone seeking to make a tangible difference in the world, this career path is perfect.
Moreover, there is a pressing need for more women in the hydrogen sector. All too often, she finds herself among the few women at industry events or on panels, and this must change. Exciting initiatives such as the “Women in Green Hydrogen” group focus on networking and education to empower and connect women in this field. Nora emphasizes the necessity of collaborative efforts to foster diversity and inclusion within the hydrogen industry.
Staying Competitive in a Globalized Landscape
STOFF2 aims to become the preferred global supplier of hybrid electrolyzers and energy storage solutions, addressing various markets and applications with cost-effective green hydrogen derived from excess renewable energy. This vision encompasses the establishment of multiple production sites worldwide to support regional projects, positioning STOFF2 as a recognized technology leader in Germany, Europe, and beyond.
