First Hydrogen Adds Schipstra to Green Hydrogen Production Team
Vancouver, B.C., July 18, 2022 - Vancouver, British Columbia – First Hydrogen Corp. (“FIRST HYDROGEN” or the “Company”) (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) is pleased to announce its’ subsidiary, First Hydrogen Limited, has appointed Afkenel Schipstra as Chief Operational Officer to grow the Energy division. Ms. Schipstra joins First Hydrogen from the multinational utility company ENGIE, where she held the role of Senior Vice President of Hydrogen Business Development. She was responsible for large-scale hydrogen projects in the Netherlands, including HyNetherlands, a 1.85 GW green hydrogen value chain, which covers the production, transportation and usage of green hydrogen. She is also a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee of HydrogenOne Capital Growth plc., the first hydrogen fund to list on the London Stock Exchange.
Prior to ENGIE, Afkenel was Hydrogen Program Manager at TSO Gasunie N.V., where she developed a roadmap for the company’s hydrogen activity and, in her previous role of Senior Business Development Manager, she worked on carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) and District heating projects. Passionate about bringing more women into the industry she is an active member of Women in Hydrogen and a founding member of VIEN, a community of energy leaders committed to bridging the diversity gap to create a sustainable and inclusive future for the sector.
Afkenel holds a Masters degree from the Rotterdam School of Management, is a Registered Controller and has more than 15 years of extensive experience in business leadership and finance management for the Energy sector. At First Hydrogen, she will assist the Company to establish environmentally sustainable green hydrogen production sites and deliver its refuelling solutions, a key part of First Hydrogen’s ambition to guarantee a supply of green hydrogen for its customers.
Nick Wrigley, Chairman at First Hydrogen, says: “Afkenel brings both passion and a wealth of expertise in managing and financing hydrogen projects to the team. She joins us at an exciting point in our development of hydrogen infrastructure; planning is underway for our first green hydrogen production sites in the UK and we are working with FEV Consulting to develop our refuelling technology. By leading this work, she will build our Hydrogen-as-a-Solution model, which tackles the chicken-and-egg problem that challenges hydrogen vehicle adoption and will help deliver a zero emissions future. We are also excited for her to help us drive diversity in the energy and automotive industries, as this important step helps us accelerate innovation and change.”
Afkenel Schipstra, Chief Operational Officer for First Hydrogen Energy, comments: “Profound shifts are underway in the global energy system. Governments, industries and consumers are shaping a net zero economy, with clean hydrogen set to play a vital role as a feedstock, an energy carrier and a fuel. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking and game-changing company with a truly talented international team fully committed to developing a more sustainable future. In growing this emerging economy, we will also be able to encourage more people to find rewarding careers in this fast-moving sector.
I am excited and privileged to start this new journey and work across the value chain to help First Hydrogen build the path toward a zero-emission future.”
About First Hydrogen Corp. (FirstHydrogen.com)
First Hydrogen Corp. is a Vancouver and London UK-based company focused on zero-emission vehicles, green hydrogen production and distribution and supercritical carbon dioxide extractor systems. The Company is designing and building hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered light commercial demonstrator vehicles (“LCV”) under two agreements with AVL Powertrain and Ballard Power Systems Inc. The LCV will have a range of 500+ kilometres. At the same time, the company has launched its bespoke vehicle design phase which will develop its fleet of proprietary zero emission vehicles. First Hydrogen is also developing refueling capability working with FEV Consulting GmbH, the automotive consultancy of FEV Group of Aachen Germany. The Company is also pursuing opportunities in green hydrogen production and distribution in the UK and elsewhere.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
FIRST HYDROGEN CORP.
“Balraj Mann”
Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Director
Contact:
Balraj Mann
First Hydrogen Corp.
604-601-2018
First Hydrogen Corp.
Suite 440 - 755 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6Z 1X6
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