Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen: Solving America’s 50 GW Diesel Generator Problem

Hardware to Save a Planet

In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, host Dylan Garrett welcomes Ted McKlveen, co-founder and CEO of Verne, to discuss hydrogen’s rising role in clean power generation. They dive into Verne’s cryo-compressed hydrogen storage technology and its potential to replace diesel generators, especially in data centers and remote areas. Ted explains why hydrogen may be a practical and scalable solution for supporting the electrical grid and decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, like trucking, by offering both economic and environmental benefits in the race toward a cleaner energy future.

What you will learn:

• Why hydrogen is essential for complementing the electrical grid rather than replacing it
• How cryo-compressed hydrogen storage achieves higher density at lower costs
• Why data centers represent a massive opportunity for clean backup power
• The economics of hydrogen power generation and why it's becoming cost-competitive
• How novel hydrogen production methods can achieve costs between $1-3 per kilogram
• Why power generation applications offer better economics for hydrogen adoption
• How advances in materials science enable safe storage of hydrogen
• Why replacing diesel generators with clean alternatives is becoming increasingly urgent

Ted McKlveen is the Co-founder and CEO of Verne, a company innovating in hydrogen storage and transportation technology. With a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Harvard and an MBA from Stanford, Ted brings deep expertise in renewable energy and climate solutions. His background includes roles at Advanced Microgrid Solutions and Bain & Company, along with recognition as a Breakthrough Energy Business Fellow.

Episode Resource:

• Ted McKlveen on LinkedIn
• Verne Website
• Dylan Garrett on LinkedIn
• Synapse Website
• Hardware to Save a Planet Apple Podcasts
• Hardware to Save a Planet Spotify

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Previous guests include: Peter Reinhardt of Charm Industrial, Carlos Araque of Quaise, Noah McQueen of Heirloom, Areeb Malik of Glacier, Jeff Satwicz of Bigbelly, Abe Schneider of Natel Energy, Insiya Jafferjee of Shellworks, Paul Gross of Remora, Erika Boeing of Accelerate Wind and Daniel Betts of Blue Frontier.
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