Heraeus Virtual Hydrogen Talks:
The European Hydrogen Opportunity in a Global Context
The global energy system is entering into a new era. The future energy architecture has to accommodate the electrification of industry and mobility, the exponential energy demand of artificial intelligence and hyperscale computing as well as the re-industrialization and restructuring of supply chains.
However, not every application can be electrified. This is where the question of electrons vs. molecules becomes important. Hydrogen and its derivatives seem indispensable for high temperature industrial processes, as well as for long-term storage of energy, or when high energy density is required (as in aviation or maritime).
The future energy system will be determined by a mix of energy carriers, and hydrogen is one of them. This opens opportunities, new possibilities. Where does Europe stand compared to the other regions? Which role does hydrogen play in Europe, Asia and North America?
Together with experts from all three regions, we will discuss the current state of the hydrogen economy, explore what regions can learn from one another, and identify opportunities to leverage synergies. We will also address the challenges ahead and discuss practical pathways to overcome them.
Join us for this timely discussion and gain valuable insights into the global hydrogen landscape, emerging market opportunities, and the role hydrogen will play in shaping the future energy system. Register today to secure your place.
*Please note that registration is required to participate.
Information
| Topic |
The European Hydrogen Opportunity in a global context |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday, October 14th, 2026 |
| Time | 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm CEST |
| Location | Online (GoToWebinar) |
| Speakers |
Dr. Cortney “Corky” Mittelsteadt, CTO | Element H2 Miriam Leuschner, Deputy Managing Director | VDMA Hauptstadtbüro Teddy (Zhang) Wang, VP of Engineering & Product | Hydrogen Contango |
| Moderator | Dr. Philipp Walter, Heraeus Precious Metals |
Registration
Speaker
Dr. Cortney “Corky” Mittelsteadt, CTO | Element H2
Cortney “Corky” Mittelsteadt received his PhD working on polymers for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and electrolyzers in 1999 from SUNY-ESF/Syracuse University. He then worked at a small electrochemical company Giner, that had just created a JV with GM for automotive fuel cells. In 2016 he received his MBA from MIT, Cambridge, MA and became CEO of Giner. Three companies were then spun out of Giner, one a smartwatch alcohol sensor, another an implantable electrolyzer for stem cell support, and Giner ELX, a large electrolyzer manufacturer. In 2020 Giner ELX was sold to Plug Power and Corky left Giner to create an R&D and small manufacturing facility outside of Boston where they scaled the technology from kW to 1 GW/yr. After launching their 3rd generation stack Corky left Plug to start his own consulting company, and recently cofounded Element H2, to generate electrode materials for the electrolysis industry outside of Hamburg. He recently became an adjunct professor at U of Delaware where he teaches a course in Electrochemical Engineering, focusing on transport. Last summer he took on the role of VP, Electrolyzers for Dioxycle, a CO and CO2 electrolyzer company in Paris.
Over his career, Corky has been funded as PI for a quarter of a billion dollars in public and private funding, from GM, DoE, Army, Navy, Air Force, NASA, NSF, Google, Boeing, Abengoa, Raytheon and others. He has over a dozen patents and has authored numerous chapters on PEM materials and devises. He lives mostly in Paris, with Boston, Hamburg, and VT being his second homes. He enjoys running, biking, chess, learning French and keeping up with his three children.
Miriam Leuschner, Deputy Managing Director | VDMA Hauptstadtbüro
Miriam Leuschner is Deputy Managing Director of VDMA Power-to-X for Applications, a cross-industry platform representing member companies across the European mechanical and plant engineering sector in the fields of hydrogen and Power-to-X technologies. Based in Berlin, she is responsible for shaping and communicating the association’s policy positions on P2X and advocating for the interests of the industry at both the national and European levels.
Miriam has extensive experience in European project development and policymaking, having worked on Euro-Mediterranean cooperation initiatives and served as a political advisor in the German Bundestag prior to joining VDMA. She holds a Master’s degree in European Affairs from Sciences Po Bordeaux, a Diplôme de l’Institut d’Études Politiques, and a BSc Econ in Politics from Cardiff University.
Teddy (Zhang) Wang , VP of Engineering & Product | Hydrogen Contango
Teddy (Zhang) Wang is VP of Engineering & Product at Shengshui New Energy (Hydrogen Contango), where he leads PEM electrolyzer product development and the company's global business. He has spent over a decade in PEM electrolysis on both sides of the Pacific, beginning with NASA- and DOE-funded stack programs at Giner and Plug Power in Boston, then moving to China to help build MW-scale electrolyzer businesses at H-Rise and Sany Hydrogen, where he served as VP of R&D for PEM electrolyzers and overseas business.
That path gives him an unusual vantage point on where the world's two largest hydrogen markets diverge: on cost structure, on supply chain, and on what customers actually demand from an electrolyzer in the field. His current work spans next-generation product definition, technology partnerships with major Chinese industrial groups, and electrolyzer market development outside China.
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Moderator
Dr. Philipp Walter, Executive Vice President, Hydrogen Systems | Heraeus Precious Metals
Philipp is a chemist by education and received his PhD from the University of Freiburg, Germany. He held several management positions in the chemical industry in new business development, marketing, sales and business management in Norway, USA, Switzerland and Germany.
He joined Heraeus in 2016 and is now Executive Vice President and leading the Business Line Hydrogen Systems within Heraeus Precious Metals. Philipp is based at Heraeus’ Headquarters in Hanau, Germany.
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