HAN Students Master Engineering Systems attend Hydrogen Autumn School

The Autumn School, organized by ‘Green SKYh’, brought together 30 talented students, engineers and PhD researchers from Switzerland, France, and the Netherlands. In four days the duo immersed themselves in the world of hydrogen mobility. They participated in training sessions focused on hydrogen fuel cells (FCHT) and visited local hydrogen sites like H2SYS and McPhy.

"I chose HAN Engineering Systems, particularly the Sustainable Energy track, due to my passion for the energy transition," explaines Osato. "Hydrogen's potential as a clean energy source, coupled with my background in Chemical Engineering, made it an irresistible field."

Iñigo shares similar sentiments, stating, "I aspire to contribute to the energy transition in the automotive industry, and this Master program offers the ideal platform to achieve that goal."

The Autumn School also fostered international connections. Both students met inspiring individuals from diverse backgrounds, sparking discussions about hydrogen's future and exchanging knowledge and experiences. The experience in France proved very valuable for both students. Osato highlighted the practical insights gained from seeing a large-scale electrolyzer unit, while Iñigo appreciated the opportunity to delve deeper into hydrogen technology, from production and storage to fuel cell modeling and vehicle integration.

You went to a hydrogen event in France. What was your impression of the event?

Osato: Sophisticated and detailed.
Iñigo: Very well-organized event, people with high level in the hydrogen field and eager to share their perspective.

Why did you decide to go there?

Osato: In my bid to be part of the energy transition coupled with my background in Chemical Engineering, it was no shock that Hydrogen as an element and its diverse applications including energy storage would entice me. For my electives during my theory courses, I chose Hydrogen and this gave me a general overview into Hydrogen's role in the new world of renewable energy, so I wanted an opportunity to take a deeper dive into Hydrogen and meet experienced people in the field; ranging from fellow students to professionals.

Iñigo: I have planned to choose the Hydrogen Technology elective module and I thought this was a great opportunity to keep gaining knowledge about it, because I think hydrogen can be a very useful technology for the decarbonization of the transport industry.

Do you think it was of added value to go there?

Osato: It was of great value to go for the event. I saw an electrolyser unit on a bigger scale which showed me the technology already available.

Iñigo: It was, although it was sometimes way too technical for me, as I have not worked with hydrogen a lot yet, I have gained knowledge about modeling PEM fuel cells and principles, hydrogen production, storage, safety and applications, and energy management in hybrid electric vehicles.

Did you meet interesting people?

Osato: Yes, I met very interesting people, ranging from bachelor's to PhD students. I had the opportunity to get different people's perspectives of "why Hydrogen?”. I was also able to network with people from different countries and discover what they were currently working on or had worked on that revolved around Hydrogen.

Iñigo: There were very interesting people, from bachelor students to PhD, researching different hydrogen applications. They shared their perspectives and investigations regarding hydrogen technology.

Are you even more inspired now?

Osato: Definitely more inspired now. The event really opened my eyes to wider and more interesting applications of Hydrogen that is also driven by specific needs.

Iñigo: I am more inspired because I have seen that many people are working and have confidence in this technology's future importance.

As they look ahead, Osato and Iñigo are even more motivated to pursue careers in the hydrogen industry. They encourage fellow students to explore the opportunities offered by the upcoming Winter School which will take place in Liège, Belgium in January 2025, and will focus on hydrogen production and use: Winter School 2025 : H2 Production and Use