On 02.15.2022 PowerUP Energy Technologies, a leader in portable fuel cell generators, shared its plans for 2022. Not only is the company planning on bringing to the market several additional products, but it is also pursuing even more ambitious goals. To get the full scoop keep reading to find out what PowerUP’s intrepid CEO Dr.Ivar Kruusenberg has in store for his company and this world!
What do you feel is the biggest strength of PowerUP right now?
The biggest strength of our company is our team. We are a highly diverse team of different backgrounds, currently we have 37 employees from 11 different nationalities. Also, we really have vast experience and extensive skills in terms of fuel cell development and electronics engineering. That is the reason why we have so many products launched to date, we are actually able to provide these products to the customers so it is not just a concept we are working on but something that actually has already been launched.
What long term goals do you have for PowerUP?
The main goal for PowerUP for the upcoming years is to be the market leader for portable hydrogen fuel cell-based systems as well as small and medium size battery and fuel cell hybrid systems. Obviously, we want to be the first movers for various markets so that we can be the first ones replacing diesel generators in many market segments, especially those related to critical infrastructure.
Looking at the bigger picture, PowerUP is trying to look beyond these electric generators, and really build up the whole value chain, from the hydrogen supply to providing the best possible monitoring solutions for customers. Also, as we have experience on how to make the best fuel cells in the world, PowerUP looks forward to start providing fuel cell solutions to the automotive industry in the future.
What’s the news about upcoming products?
There are plenty of launches for PowerUP in 2022. There is our partnership with Parcelsea in Estonia which is part of the hydrogen network project we are setting up. We have worked closely with them to develop and produce a smart cabinet that allows people to refuel hydrogen tanks. This will be revolutionary in the field of hydrogen distribution.
Another important launch this year will be the UP Solid Storage which is designed to provide high power, high energy density, and a small footprint to its users, while being extremely lightweight compared to standard batteries.
In the next few months there will also be the launch of the UP1K generator. Unlike the UP400, the UP1K will not only have use cases in the recreational sector, it will also be used in the disaster relief sector and in industrial use. It is an ideal backup power source for telecommunication towers and even can be used to set up emergency communications in disaster relief.
In 2022, we also plan on launching our brand new PowerApp. The main functions of the app will include controlling our products, finding service, dealers and general contacts. It will also allow you to download the latest version of the software and upload it directly onto the generator. Apart from these basic features, the App will be incremental in our hydrogen network where the customers would be able to order hydrogen to their doorsteps at a click of a button.
What additional plans do you have for 2022?
We are planning to sign agreements with some of the biggest green hydrogen producers in the US and EU in 2022 so there will be some big news coming up soon.
What are some of the challenges faced by your company today? What is the edge your company has over other players in the industry?
The biggest issue is still to provide green hydrogen for all of our customers, globally, and in many countries in remote places the issue is to get hydrogen at all. But we are working on the hydrogen network project which involves a network of different partners along the hydrogen supply chain to improve this issue.
As a company involved in advertising and working on the full value chain we need to unfortunately deal with the things governments have not dealt with well enough which is the social acceptance of hydrogen.
So we need to explain to customers about the safety of hydrogen, the benefits of it and raise awareness about this option of renewable energy.
The edge we have over other players in the industry is that we are covering the full value chain. We have an extensive fuel cell knowledge-base, we have the best experts and at the same time we also understand how to integrate fuel cell technology to the end product. Our huge advantage at the current state is being a first mover. We really hope that we can continue to understand our customers better and make the best possible product with every new generation and launch.
How do you see PowerUP and the industry in the future ahead? What is the business roadmap like for 2022?
In regards to the business roadmap for 2022, there will be the previously mentioned launches of all the products and also the launch of the UP6K which will be a big step forward. Our goal is to get bigger players from the market to make the technological transfer from fossil fuel-based solutions to hydrogen and renewable solutions. We want to get big players on board to make this technological transformation.
The industry is changing rapidly as many countries around the globe have announced that diesel fuel cars will not be sold by 2030 and they plan to make usage of fossil fuels difficult. Therefore, huge market segments need to make technological transfers and we want to be there to help these customers out with the challenges they face and to replace their fossil fuel solutions they use today with hydrogen solutions.
What are your growth plans for the next 12 months?
We have already experienced huge growth in 2021 going from six employees to 37, and we are planning to keep the same growth rate which is absolutely mandatory to be the market leader in the future. Another plan we have for 2022 is an expansion to the USA. During Covid there was no operation in the USA but now we are restarting operations. If everything goes well, then we will start manufacturing the generators and fuel cells in the USA this year.
How is PowerUP contributing to the growth and transformation of hydrogen as a power source?
We are the only company covering the full value chain which means we are the right company to connect hydrogen suppliers with logistics partners and end users. We are working diligently to get hydrogen out into the market and increase public awareness.
We have taken this hard road and challenge and we are absolutely sure we are the company to take on these challenges and connect different parties. We are the right ones to overcome the huge market barrier we have had with hydrogen.
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