Talk title: The Winding Road to Hydrogen’s Essential Role in a Decarbonised Energy System

Biography

David Hart has spent over 30 years in the energy transition sector, from research to consulting. He specialises in the role of hydrogen in the energy system, advising governments, investors, corporations and early-stage companies on the opportunities and pitfalls in the sector. He is a successful consulting company founder, an independent advisor, has sat on investment committees and as a non-executive director, and is a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. He set up and ran a hydrogen-focused research group at Imperial in the 1990s, and with two colleagues built sustainable energy consulting firm E4tech into a globally recognised specialist in the sector before it was acquired by international sustainability consultancy ERM, where he retains a part-time role as Global Hydrogen Lead.

Prof Hart’s work in hydrogen has included techno-economic analysis, greenhouse gas and system modelling, business strategy and market and industry landscaping, as well policy advisory and technology due diligence. He has supported the CEOs of major corporations and of early-stage companies in finding pathways through the complexity of the hydrogen ecosystem. He is a Director of the International Association of Hydrogen Energy, chaired the Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, and has represented the UK on the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy and Switzerland on the Advanced Fuel Cell Technology Collaboration Platform of the IEA. He is a sought-after conference speaker and chair.

Born in Zambia and now living in Switzerland (via Kenya, the USA, Germany, the UK and Japan), Prof Hart is passionate about the natural world and is a keen hiker and scuba diver. He drives a hydrogen fuel cell car.