While electricity will assume a dominant role in conveyance of clean energy to end users, sectors such as heavy-duty trucking and transport, marine, aviation, and heavy industry are more difficult to decarbonize, and will benefit from the higher energy density and storage afforded by hydrogen as a vector. Hydrogen can also be used to synthesize other molecular energy carriers and chemicals for recycle of carbon to achieve circularity. This seminar will examine the challenges and multiple synergistic opportunities for hydrogen in future energy and chemical systems. Is now the time for a hydrogen economy?

Speaker Bio

Joe Powell (Joseph B. Powell, PhD) is Fellow and former Director of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and served as Shell’s first Chief Scientist – Chemical Engineering from 2006 until retiring at the end of 2020. During his 36-year industry career, Dr. Powell led R&D programs in new chemical processes, biofuels, enhanced oil recovery, and advised R&D for the energy transition to a net-zero carbon economy. He is co-inventor on more than 125 patent applications (60 granted), has received AIChE / ACS / R&D Magazine awards for Innovation, Service, and Practice, and is co-author of Sustainable Development in the Process Industries: Cases and Impact (2010). He chaired the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC), served for two terms on the U.S. National Academy Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology, and currently serves as an advisor (ChemePD LLC) in energy and chemicals. PhD: U. Wisconsin-Madison (1984); BS: U. Virginia (1978).