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CERTIFHY STEERING COMMITTEE
The CertifHy Steering Committee - Leading the Way in Clean Hydrogen
The CertifHy Steering Committee provides vital leadership in guiding the organization towards a clean hydrogen economy. This committee is comprised of distinguished members representing various stakeholder pools across the hydrogen value chain: Producers & Processors, Traders, Logistic Operators, and Users, and NGOs, Research, and the Public Sector. Their diverse backgrounds and expertise are crucial for shaping CertifHy’s strategic direction and ensuring the certification schemes uphold the highest standards.
Stakeholder Platform - Newsletter of June 2024
CertifHy Steering Committee Members: Chair and co-Chair
Mikaa Mered (Chair of the Steering Committee)
Teacher at SciencesPo and University Mohammed 6 and Hydrogen TaskForce Coordinator at Medef International
As of 2019, Mikaa MERED has created the world's first course in the geopolitics of hydrogen. An analyst and author, he now teaches at Sciences Po, HEC, the École de Guerre and Mohammed VI Polytechnique University. Convinced of the need for dialogue between research and business, he is a member of the steering committee of the Hydrogen Task Force of MEDEF International and France Hydrogène, and in June was appointed "Ambassador for Green Hydrogen" by the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE).
Timo Bollerhey (co-chair of the steering committee)
Co-Founder H2Global, and CEO Hintco GmbH
Timo is a seasoned executive with a robust background spanning global financial institutions and international organisations. He is dedicated to contribute to the emergence of a functioning hydrogen market. He consequently co-founded the H2Global foundation back in 2021. Managing Hintco, he works at the interface of the private and public endeavors towards climate neutrality.
CertifHy Steering Committee Members - Group 1: Producers & Processors
Imane BENMEDAKHENE
Senior Strategy Renewables & Hydrogen Advisor at Total Energies
"For me, clear and practical European regulations are the launchpad for a booming European hydrogen industry. I believe industry and stakeholders working together on these regulations, especially around production and emissions reduction, is what will unlock Europe's renewable energy ambitions. That's why I'm excited to contribute my experience and help make it happen."
Imane is a Senior Strategy Advisor for Total Energies in Renewables and Hydrogen. She previously held a position focused on European regulatory advocacy in the realm of renewable fuels and hydrogen. Her specific responsibilities included the Renewable Energy Directive, its associated delegated acts, and ensuring their implementation through national laws. Additionally, Imane possesses expertise in life cycle analysis and calculating greenhouse gas emissions specifically for biofuels.
Rose DE LANNOY
Public Affairs - Manager at ENGIE Hydrogen
“With years of specialisation in carbon markets, CCS, and renewable hydrogen, I strongly advocate for certification of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen, where CertifHy stands out, backed by a decade of expertise. As a Steering Committee member, I bring to the table a strong knowledge in trading tools, and registries, I can offer practical insights to fortify certification schemes for renewables and CO2 sourcing, and I am backed by ENGIE’s global H2 and e-fuel initiatives as well as bioenergy certification experiences.”
Throughout her extensive career at ENGIE, Rose has made significant contributions to the Group’s adaptation to carbon markets and carbon capture and storage emergence. Since 2018, she has been a key figure in Hydrogen Public Affairs, focusing on European policies impacting the renewable and low-carbon hydrogen market and its derivatives. She has an in-depth expertise on policy, certification and GHG accounting methodologies. Finally, her practical involvment as the certification lead for projects like MultiplHy and HyNetherlands highlights her proficiency in navigating the intertwined topics of guarantee of origin and RFNBO certification.
Johanna FRIESE
Certification Specialist at Tree Energy Solutions (TES)
“Having followed CertifHy’s work over the years, I am highly motivated to contribute to the future evolution of the CertifHy schemes, ensuring they effectively promote the market adoption of hydrogen and its derivatives, such as e-NG (green methane). As a future user of certification schemes, Tree Energy Solutions (TES) is critically aware of the challenges associated with their implementation, and well positioned to contribute to enhancing the applicability of the CertifHy schemes.”
Johanna FRIESE
Certification Specialist at Tree Energy Solutions (TES)
Johanna, at Tree Energy Solutions (TES), leads regulatory compliance for e-NG under EU RFNBO standards. Formerly with GIZ's International Power-to-X Hub, she supported facilitated EU-German dialogues of the European Commission and the German government on green hydrogen standards and certification with stakeholders worldwide. Her background at the German Energy Agency and engagement in the Global Alliance Powerfuels initiative underscore her expertise in EU hydrogen regulations and global harmonization efforts.
Dr. Timo Eickelkamp
Senior Commercial Project Manager Hydrogen at RWE Generation SE
“Leveraging my background in hydrogen, academia, and project development, I'm passionate about accelerating the green hydrogen market. CertifHy is a key enabler, and I'm committed to its success for a sustainable hydrogen market ramp-up – from pre-launch advocacy to shaping future updates of the scheme and include imports as well as international trade. Together, we can build a sustainable hydrogen future!”
Timo, mechanical engineer with academic career (GER/USA) and a PhD focusing on Renewables & LCA, transitioned from science of sustainability assessments to Green Hydrogen Expert in various energy companies, currently at RWE Generation SE. He played a key role in establishing CertifHy, including pre-launch advocacy, co-leading producer & off-taker working groups, piloting the CertifHy-GO scheme, and supported the preparation of the CertifHy EU RFNBO Voluntary Scheme.
Alexandru Floristean
ESG, Regulatory & Policy Manager at Hy24
“I strongly believe that a liquid, global market for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen cannot fully develop in the absence of robust, trustworthy and mutually recognized certification schemes which guarantee customers, authorities and end-users the environmental attributes of the products they purchase. As a member of the Steering Committee, I’m supporting CertifHy into becoming a recognized EU Certification scheme, providing certification services to Hydrogen producers in Europe and Worldwide and unleash its potential of unlocking international trade renewable (RFNBO) and low-carbon hydrogen“.
Alexandru is pivotal at Hy24, the premier private equity manager for scaling the hydrogen economy. He assists portfolio firms in producing renewable and low-carbon hydrogen and securing certifications for global markets. Formerly Head of Intelligence at Hydrogen Europe, he influenced EU regulations and international hydrogen certification schemes critical to the Clean Hydrogen market's expansion.
CertifHy Steering Committee Members - Group 2: Traders, Logistic Operators & Users
Dirk Focroul
Product Manager Green Gas at Fluxys
“Establishing a robust EU market with proper certification for renewable and low-carbon hydrogen is crucial. CertifHy promotes standardization to facilitate GO hydrogen transfer across Member States' networks, essential for integrating renewables into the hydrogen grid. Involved in the Belgian HYBEX project, I aim to advance these goals and contribute effectively to CertifHy's development as a Steering Committee member.”
Dirk has played a key role in Belgium's gas market since 1990 and has dedicated over 5 years to advancing green gas, including hydrogen. As the BE-expert for CEN 16325, he contributes to certification taskforces like ENTSOG, Waterstofnet, and CertifHy. At Fluxys, Dirk developed registration systems and methodologies for GOs (biomethane and hydrogen) in Flanders, aligning with AIB EECS standards and extending these efforts across other Belgian regions and federal levels.
Agnes Dudek
Director Product Management and Regulatory Affairs at Yara Clean Ammonia
“As a steering committee member of CertifHy, I am committed to shaping a certification framework that meets the evolving needs of the hydrogen economy and its stakeholders. Our collective effort ensures that certified clean hydrogen and derivatives, like ammonia, not only add sustainable economic value but also drive significant advancements in the industry and transport sectors. Together, we can foster a mature market that benefits all stakeholders and contributes to the energy transition.“
Agnes is the Director for Product Management Regulatory Affairs at Yara Clean Ammonia, where she leverages her extensive expertise in European and international policies shaping the hydrogen and ammonia industries. With a decade of certification experience at DNV, she specializes in CDM/JI certification, voluntary carbon credits, GO certification, and GHG corporate accounting. Agnes also brings 4 years of intellectual property legal services experience, focusing on patent rights within the hydrogen sector. Her insights and contributions are pivotal to the CertifHy Steering Committee.
Dr. Maximilian Khun
Senior Commercial project Manager Hydrogen at Hydrogen Europe
"Being a board member of CertifHy allows me to advocate for hydrogen as a sustainable, energy-efficient future enabler. We're committed to have an impact on global hydrogen standards, enhancing initiatives with diverse expertise, promoting harmonized production certification, and fostering collaborative, synergistic environments. Our goal is to champion sustainable and economically viable hydrogen solutions while contributing to globally relevant and impactful strategies and policies to reach the Paris Agreement targets."
Maximilian is a leading figure in hydrogen certification standardization, shaping global norms through engagements in ISO/TC 197I, CEN-CENELEC committees, and IEA Task 43. He chairs the German Mirror Committee for ISO/TC 197 and contributes to the European Clean Hydrogen Alliance and Clean Hydrogen Partnership, advising at UNECE, UNIDO, and CESNI. As a representative of Hydrogen Europe, he advocates for industry interests, focusing on enhancing traceability, transparency, and market access in the hydrogen sector.
Zuzana Vrbova
Team Lead R&D EU - Energy & Sustainability at ACT Commodities
“ACT as a Steering committee member of CertifHy, aim to help the hydrogen market develop on a larger scale. We recognize hydrogen as a pivotal element in the European and global energy transition, and we are committed to advancing its adoption for a sustainable future. By engaging at the level of CertifHy, we believe we would gain access to valuable industry insights and collaborative opportunities which would help us with developing this market further. We believe our unique position on the renewable energies market would benefit the activities of CertifHy and our common effort to develop this promising market.”
Zuzana brings over six years of experience in the renewable energy sector, initially as a legal advisor on carbon reduction topics for governmental entities before transitioning into renewable energy management consultancy. Currently, she oversees the R&D and strategy topics at ACT Commodities, a provider of renewable energy and carbon market solutions. In her role, Zuzana focuses on developing market-based solutions in the hydrogen sector. She facilitates connections between producers and consumers, emphasizing the valuation of renewable hydrogen origins in her strategic engagements.
Tom Strengers
Policy and Sustainability Manager at SkyNRG
"For consumers certification of RFNBO hydrogen is crucial to determine the conditions under which they can offtake hydrogen. I want to ensure that the consumer perspective on RFNBO hydrogen is adequately represented in certification discussions. The stringent mandates from the EU Commission will significantly impact industry competitiveness, making hydrogen costs pivotal in facilitating emission reductions across sectors.”
Tom is a dedicated professional with a solid background in renewable energy and sustainability, with significant experience in electricity, hydrogen, and eSAF regulation. At SkyNRG, he contributes to eSAF projects from concept to completion. Tom's passion lies in advancing clean technologies and promoting environmental stewardship. He actively collaborates with industry stakeholders to drive innovation and sustainable practices. Tom's commitment to creating a greener future is reflected in his leadership roles and contributions to renewable energy projects globally.
CertifHy Steering Committee Members - Group 3: NGOs, Research & Public Sector
Sausan Al-Rayami
Director at Oman Hydrogen Centre at
Sausan, Director of Oman Hydrogen Centre (OHC), leads a team pioneering hydrogen technologies for Oman's energy transition. With a PhD in applied science from Kyushu University, her expertise spans electronics, materials science, and nanotechnology. Passionate about sustainable energy solutions, Sausan collaborates globally to advance hydrogen technology and contribute to climate resilience and energy security.
Ioan Iordache
CEO of National Research, Development and testing in electrical engineering – ICMET Craiova
“Until now, hydrogen was produced for the chemical industry, now, within the Sectoral Coupling, the amount in the diversity of uses is much higher. In this process of hydrogen transition from chemistry to energy, the quantities estimated to be needed are very large because the new opportunities imply new and diverse needs. The thing that must be understood, however, is that hydrogen, in addition to being an energy vector, will also be a democratic vector in industrial and economic development”
Ioan Iordache is a recognized expert in fuel cells and hydrogen technology with a background in Environment Engineering and Chemistry, complemented by a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering. He serves as Chair of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership States Representative Group and is Executive Director of the Romanian Association for Hydrogen Energy. Ioan contributes significantly through research, publications, and leadership roles in advancing sustainable development and environmental protection initiatives. He is the author and co-author of numerous research and scientific articles and specialist books. Him scientific contribution also includes the participation in international conferences and international research&development projects. He is member of scientific committees and a member of several professional, scientific and technical associations.
Phil Moody
Chairman of EnergyTag
“Experience in electricity markets shows that energy certificates systems are effective and efficient, provided they are designed carefully and with contribution from all participants, whether commercial, technical or governmental / regulatory. As a member of the Steering Committee, I look forward to extending this concept into gases and hydrogen. This will require careful consideration, recognising the peculiarities of each energy carrier, providing for the transfer of energy between them – such as the use of renewable electricity to produce hydrogen, and taking into account and leveraging the work by related bodies.”
Phil has been instrumental in shaping the renewable energy landscape through his roles at EnergyTag and the Association of Issuing Bodies (AIB) and, prior to that, proposing practical mechanisms for UK certificate-based renewable energy policy instruments (Climate Change Levy exemption certificates (LECs), Renewable Obligation certificates (ROCs), green labelling and tradable green certificates (guarantees of origin). EnergyTag leads global efforts to establish a market for (sub-)hourly electricity certificates using a common set of standards, enhancing transparency in energy sourcing. Previously serving as Secretary General of the AIB for 19 years, Phil led the development of and championed the European Energy Certificate System (EECS), which currently promotes and facilitates electricity and gas certification by 37 issuing bodies across 24 EU member states and 7 associated states. His extensive career spans consultancy and senior management roles, driving innovation and regulatory compliance in the energy sector.
