The global shift to green hydrogen presents a transformative opportunity for shaping a decarbonized economy. CibusCell is an enabler of that leap, acting as the digital brain of a green hydrogen plant. The AI-native, cloud-based platform equips industrial users, energy developers and infrastructure operators with real-time insights and centralized control, enabling smarter decisions and more efficient management at every stage of production. By embedding AI at its core, it anticipates uncertainties and optimizes production, storage, distribution and resources to help operators lower costs and maximize performance. “We give stakeholders a single, intelligent platform to manage the entire hydrogen project lifecycle,” says Marcus Ruebsam, co-founder. CibusCell guides the journey, starting with investment planning, continuing through real-time operational control and extending to future scenario modeling for long-term performance. Developers, investors, regulators and partners can collaborate seamlessly on the platform, ensuring decisions are data-driven and aligned with operational and financial goals. Building the platform on Microsoft Azure assures the reliability and scalability clients need for efficient hydrogen production management. Fragmented systems are eliminated, creating a unified environment where intelligence continuously drives efficiency. Clients have already reported cost reductions of up to 40 percent, demonstrating CibusCell’s effectiveness in maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs. Optimizing Hydrogen Projects from Day One CibusCell’s client engagement model is designed to support hydrogen projects well before plant construction begins. During the investment planning stage, it helps clients design the most effective and cost-efficient setup for their production goals. This early-stage planning doesn't require a working plant. Everything is simulated within the platform to explore multiple scenarios. Factored in are CapEx, OpEx and lifecycle costs, along with key variables such as access to green electricity, regulatory considerations, expected hydrogen demand and offtake commitments. Data is used to calculate the optimal layout for renewable energy sourcing, and the size and configuration of core components like electrolyzers, storage tanks and trailer distribution. The ability to model and optimize before building prevents overinvestment, underutilization and poor asset sizing. Once the plant design is finalized and investment decisions are made, CibusCell focuses on operational optimization. It connects to the entire hydrogen infrastructure in real time, using IoT integration to gather data from electrolyzers, storage tanks, transport trailers and end-use applications like industrial burners and mobility fleets. The platform continuously analyzes sensor data, weather forecasts, and electricity market prices to simulate and update optimal production schedules. At the core of this phase is the ability to optimize hydrogen production hour by hour and day by day, always targeting the lowest possible cost per kilogram. Whether electricity is procured from the spot market or self-generated from renewables, CibusCell uses machine learning and time-series forecasting to balance supply, demand, storage levels and technical constraints. Complete automation is one of its core capabilities, and a key differentiator. Once the client defines cost thresholds and operational preferences, the platform autonomously manages the entire hydrogen production process 24/7. This includes starting and stopping electrolyzers, controlling storage systems, buying or withholding electricity from the market and adjusting production schedules based on real-time data. The automation is not just rule-based. It’s driven by optimization algorithms and machine learning models that constantly evaluate cost, efficiency, hardware performance and market dynamics. This shift from manual, spreadsheet-driven planning to automated, AI-driven optimization helps clients adapt to dynamic conditions without guesswork.
For almost a century, BENNING has been manufacturing and developing smart solutions for converting energy into multi-purpose, storable energy. It is focused on the true uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and energy storage markets, offering sustainable, safe, and efficient solutions to its customers worldwide. The company takes a unique industrial market approach by incorporating UPS into its islanding technology, a strategic move that ensures continuous power supply. This innovative approach underpins the company’s commitment to providing uninterrupted, dependable operations, reinforcing its status as a leader in the energy conversion industry. “We ensure that a consistent and stable power supply is maintained at the output regardless of fluctuations or disturbances in the input,” states Alexander Proemel, Industrial Product Manager at BENNING. The firm provides its clients with an advanced, hot-swappable, modular and highly scalable storage system based on an AC UPS with real UPS functionality. BENNING’s real UPS is a double-conversion UPS architecture with a rectifier, a DC link, and an inverter. This system is notable for its ability to incorporate a bi-directional charger, which promotes dynamic energy management and allows for the execution of battery capacity tests. In addition, the battery port serves as a critical junction for the battery and the inverter, which is central to the system’s architecture. BENNING’s innovative system efficiently generates and administers grids, making it particularly useful for applications like integrating islanding PV systems. The bi-directional charger also enables clients to redirect excess energy back to the grid, engaging in peak shaving and optimising energy consumption. The firm’s intelligent solution is designed for highest system availability, thereby catering to industrial applications, regenerative produced power and microgrids. The system’s control strategy is instrumental in moderating the battery’s decay rate, extending its cycle life, and improving the energy storage system’s economic feasibility. This strategic approach significantly accelerates the investment’s break-even time. The system’s transformerless design ensures maximum efficiency, allowing the UPS to operate effectively with a 400-volt input grid without additional assistance.
Jacob van Leeuwen, Founder and CEO
Energy storage in the modern era must go beyond conservation and strike the delicate balance between efficient power generation and use. This idea becomes particularly poignant in the Netherlands, where grid congestion has become a critical issue affecting businesses across the nation. Marked by overloaded electricity grids struggling to meet soaring demand, the Dutch power sector has significantly slowed the approval of new connections, which has stumped businesses from expanding their operational footprint. At the forefront of bridging this gap in the Netherlands’ grid power supply and rising electricity demand is Kiwatt. Its distinct approach to product development spans designing and manufacturing powerful battery systems tailored to meet client needs. Complementing the offerings is Kiwatt’s in-house team of engineers, who develop innovative solutions, including batteries, battery management systems (BMS), inverters and more. At the same time, the company provides a comprehensive software platform—the Kiwatt app, which helps users monitor energy usage metrics and optimise consumption. This level of visibility empowers them to manage energy beyond the main connection point, increasing efficiency and reducing costs. Kiwatt’s proprietary battery stack’s improved performance capabilities aid rapid energy storage and seamless integration with various assets. While the proprietary inverter facilitates island mode operation, the in-house developed BMS offers flexibility and remote optimisation, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply. The comprehensive solution caters to residential and commercial needs, providing a nonstop power supply even when the grid connection is disrupted. Leveraging its technology stack, Kiwatt empowers users to maximise the utility of its energy resources while ensuring reliability and adaptability.
Rudolf Zauner, Senior Innovation Manager, VERBUND AG
Antony White, Client Delivery Manager - Central Delivery Team, UK Power Networks Services
Steve Westly, Founder & Managing Partner, The Westly Group
Mark Schaefer, Senior Program Manager Digitalization, Siemens Energy
Alexander Vogt, Head of Metering Services, LichtBlick SE
Vincent Designolle, Director, Delphy Hydrogen Storage, Vallourec
Bogdan Laza, Vice President | Complex Risk Commercial Insurance Consultant, Brown & Brown
Europe aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, with renewable hydrogen serving as a key energy source. VHPs facilitate coordination across the hydrogen economy, enhancing efficiency and supporting the decarbonisation process.
Europe's shift to renewable energy introduces variability in its power grid, necessitating innovative solutions like Virtual H₂ Plants, which enhance grid stability and integrate hydrogen systems.
Hydrogen Integration into Virtual Power Plants
Europe’s energy sector is in the midst of a fundamental shift as governments, utilities, and technology providers accelerate the transition toward cleaner, decentralised energy systems. Among the most promising developments is the emergence of virtual hydrogen power plant platforms, which combine digital coordination with hydrogen-based generation and storage. These platforms are transforming the way energy is produced, distributed, and consumed across the region. Traditional VPPs utilise advanced software to coordinate distributed renewable assets, such as solar, wind, and batteries, thereby balancing supply and demand in real-time. By incorporating hydrogen, these platforms gain a versatile and scalable energy carrier. Hydrogen enables surplus renewable power to be stored, stabilises grids, and provides backup during peak demand, strengthening Europe’s efforts to decarbonise while building system resilience. Digital technologies underpin this evolution. IoT-enabled monitoring and advanced analytics allow operators to forecast energy flows, optimise hydrogen use, and orchestrate resources across multiple sites. Artificial intelligence adds another layer of efficiency by analysing consumption patterns, weather forecasts, and market signals to optimise dispatch. These innovations lower operational costs while enabling responsiveness that traditional grids cannot match. Policy support is driving momentum. The European Union’s Green Deal and Hydrogen Strategy offer regulatory clarity and funding, while national programs in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain are investing in pilots and infrastructure. Together, these efforts are transitioning virtual hydrogen platforms from early experiments to commercially viable solutions that can support Europe’s climate ambitions. The convergence of hydrogen’s flexibility with digital coordination positions these platforms as a cornerstone of Europe’s energy future. Beyond helping to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, they showcase how digitalisation and clean energy can combine to deliver a more sustainable and reliable grid. This edition features perspectives from Marcos Matijasevich, Head of Low Carbon Transition, Essar Oil (UK) and Dr. Tryggvi Thor Herbertsson, Global Head of Hydrogen Strategy and Partnership, QAIR Group. Their insights shed light on the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, offering valuable guidance for industry leaders navigating this transition. We hope these valuable insights featured in this edition will assist you in making informed decisions for your businesses.