INVITATION

Lowering the cost of hydrogen. Widening its use.

You are invited to the opening of the MERLIN the Hydrogen Lab and a roundtable on the technologies making new hydrogen markets economically viable today.

Host: University of Sydney and SolidHydrogen.
Date: 22nd of September 2026.

Program: Moderated roundtable discussion and opening, and visit of the MERLIN – Hydrogen lab.

- Roundtable (30min): 1 pm welcome and registration for a 1.15 pm start. Venue: Building J05, Civil Engineering Building, Lecture Theatre 3 (this is on level 3)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/JQaA8sy1b2wZiNjU6

- Official lab opening and refreshments: 2 pm. Venue: University of Sydney’s MERLIN the Hydrogen lab, Building G08, Darlington, NSW entry through level 3

https://maps.app.goo.gl/XKhjDSQHSrwC3Ff88

- Personalised visits of the MERLIN – Hydrogen lab: from 2.30 pm onwards.

Opening and visit of the MERLIN the Hydrogen Lab

The event opens with the official opening of MERLIN the Hydrogen lab at the University of Sydney — SolidHydrogen’s research partner — followed by a guided tour of the facility and its hydrogen research program, hosted by Professor Kondo François Aguey-Zinsou.

The roundtable discussion

We start with a roundtable discussion that brings together the operators, technology developers and infrastructure partners already putting hydrogen to work in live industrial and mobility applications. The conversation stays grounded in what’s running today: beyond the established industries that already depend on hydrogen, the new sectors opening up around it, and the technologies — from sources and production through to purification, compression, storage, distribution and on-site assembly — driving down the cost of deployment.

Following the roundtable and some refreshments, we will witness the official opening of the lab, then enjoy private guided tours of the premises.

What you’ll learn

Invited panellists span the full value chain — from hydrogen sources and infrastructure technology through to project development and industrial systems integration — reflecting the path from production to deployed, revenue-generating use.

You will leave with a practitioner-level view of where hydrogen is genuinely in use today — beyond legacy industrial deployment, we will focus on emerging applications in ammonia, power generation, natural hydrogen, biomass, synthetic aviation fuel and industrial gas supply — and the specific cost and technology barriers being solved right now to broaden that use. The focus throughout is the concrete engineering, materials and infrastructure choices making these markets commercially viable today — giving attendees a grounded basis for evaluating hydrogen use in their own operations.

Speakers & moderator

Moderated by Professor Kondo-François Aguey-Zinsou, University of Sydney, global Hydrogen expert with 200+ scientific publications.

Confirmed panellists :

Downer Group, Christian Douglas Future Energy Architecture Lead — EPCM, infrastructure and engineering services, including hydrogen refueling and zero-emission fleet transition projects. https://downergroup.com/
Fugu Energy, Luke Marshall, co-founder & CEO — Project Developer, modular, on-site hydrogen and SAF production infrastructure for heavy transport. https://fugu.energy/
Gold Hydrogen Neil McDonald, Managing Director — Exploration and production of naturally occurring geological hydrogen. https://www.goldhydrogen.com.au/
Hiringa Energy, Jack Rickers, Head of development Australia — Project Developer, green hydrogen and ammonia production and heavy-vehicle refueling infrastructure. https://www.hiringaenergy.com/
Hydgene Renewables, Louise Brown CEO — Technology Provider, biotechnology company developing and commercialising biocatalyst-based technology to produce hydrogen from renewable feedstocks for industrial applications. https://www.hydgene.com/
SolidHydrogen, Philippe Odouard CEO – Technology Provider, Safe and competitive combined PCS (Purification-Compression-Storage) of hydrogen using solid state technology. https://www.solidhydrogen.tech/

RSVP

Please confirm your attendance by 15 September 2026.

Professor Kondo-François Aguey-Zinsou

Professor of Chemistry Global Expert International Science Council / Co-Director GlobH2e/ Director of Material Energy Research Laboratory in nanoscale – MERLIN the Hydrogen lab/ School of Chemistry Faculty of Science THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY

Molecular Bioscience Building (G08), 2 Bultin Ave | The University of Sydney | NSW | Darlington 2008

T +61 2 8627 7828 | F +61 2 9351 3329 E-mail: f.aguey@sydney.edu.au

Philippe Odouard

CEO, SolidHydrogen Pty Ltd
M: +61 413 008 675 | E: philip@solidhydrogen.tech | www.solidhydrogen.tech

Contact the host of Lowering the cost of hydrogen. Widening its use.