NIM Industry Insights Series – Hydrogen Pathways: Scaling the Value Chain for a Net-Zero Industry

Urban Peyker is the Head of the Industry, Enterprise, and Financing department at the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. He leads initiatives to promote sustainable industrial practices and drive Austria’s transition to clean energy. Previously, he managed programs on Smart Grids, Hydrogen and Industrial Decarbonisation at the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). He has also worked as an energy efficiency consultant and as an energy market analyst. Peyker plays a key role in funding and supporting projects that enhance energy efficiency, sustainability, and climate innovation. His leadership contributes significantly to Austria’s climate goals and the advancement of green technologies.

Zafar Samadov advances partnerships with international, regional, and national stakeholders along with the industry sharing a common vision of promoting an accelerated deployment of renewable energy and net zero ambitions. He leads the multi-stakeholder platforms, the Alliance for Industry Decarbonization and the Utilities for Net Zero Alliance. Prior to joining IRENA, he held senior positions in the field of renewable energy and infrastructure projects in the Tractebel Group, International Energy Charter, Friends of Supergrid, Swiss Development Cooperation and US Building Operations.  

Åsa oversees RD&I funding for programs and projects focused on sustainable industry and international collaboration. She leads the Clean Energy Transition Partnership’s TRI 6 for the focus area Integrated Industrial Energy Systems. Prior to her current role, Åsa served as a Senior Advisor/Programme Manager for the International Policy Cooperation Unit and waste management expert at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. 

For nearly 20 years, Piero Venturi has worked for the European Commission in food, agriculture, bioeconomy; energy and international cooperation with a focus on Latin America and Africa. He was Science Counsellor of the European Union for African Union and Africa in the EU Delegation to AU in Addis Ababa and, before, for Brazil and Latin America in the EU Delegation to Brazil. In these positions he was responsible for the policy framework for R&I cooperation with stakeholders and Member States in Africa and Latin America. Then, he has been G7 and G20 EU Sherpa and responsible for the EU network of Science Counsellors. 

Benjy Lee specialises in energy and climate policy development, future fuels research and net-zero carbon strategies. Over the last five years as an independent consultant, Benjy’s clients have included the Future Fuels CRC, Centre for New Energy Technologies (C4NET), CSIRO, Innovate UK and many more. He has over two decades of experience covering environmental engineering, carbon management, commercial and public affairs roles across a variety of sectors, with over a decade at Jemena, where he played a key role in shaping their energy policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement approach. 

Dr Patrick Fortin is a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Sustainable Energy Technologies at SINTEF, where he leads research efforts in the development and characterization of advanced materials for hydrogen technologies. He has over 12 years of R&D experience in polymer-based electrochemical energy conversion devices with an emphasis on addressing the fundamental materials challenges that underpin the performance, durability, and scalability of these technologies. His work aims to bridge fundamental materials chemistry with devicelevel performance, helping to enable efficient, robust, and scalable PEM electrolyzer systems. 

Sven Schuppener has eight years of experience in developing and implementing technical assistance projects across more than 10 countries in Africa and the MENA region. He currently serves as Hydrogen Expert at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). In his role, Sven oversees the Global Partnership for Hydrogen in Industry and implements technical assistance projects in Northern and Southern Africa, where he advises member states on hydrogen policy, market development, and the industrial application of hydrogen. Sven holds a master’s degree in Environment and Development from the London School of Economics. 

Margherita Matzer is project manager of Austria’s first hydrogen valley, the Hydrogen Industrial Inland Valley Austria (HI2 Valleys). The HI2 Valley was launched at the beginning of 2025 and is funded by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership. With over 40 partners in the Hydrogen Valley and the WIVA P&G hydrogen network, a joint platform is being created where projects can be generated, developed and implemented. Margherita Matzer has been working in project coordination at WIVA P&G since 2022. In this role, she has gained extensive insight into a wide variety of projects along the entire climate-neutral hydrogen value chain over the years. 

Volker has more than 15 years experience from technical development work in the mining and metals industry. Volker joined HYBRIT Development AB in 2017. He has been deeply involved in building up and running the HYBRIT pilot scale development program between 2018 and 2024. Today he is responsible for Technology and Intellectual Property within the HYBRIT joint venture company.

Dr Alan Monaghan, Global Mission Coordinator of the Net-Zero Industries Mission, is a physicist, specialising in developing and delivering executive level strategy and change programs, from organisational restructures and project delivery capability establishment, through to the special risk management needed for technology development, implementation and commercialisation. He is currently the Senior Vice President of the global Technology & Expert Solutions team for Worley’s Resources sector, where Worley’s global SME pool is engaged to provide high priority customer solutions, across innovation and solution validation, through to project delivery, including leading their First of a Kind technology delivery and external technology partnership programs.