President of the North America Hub of Siemens Energy Discusses the Evolution of Energy
By Julia Concolino, Marketing and Events Coordinator
Richard Voorberg is President of the North America Hub of Siemens Energy, based in Orlando, FL. In this role, Richard has regional responsibility for the Energy business in the Americas, which includes the company’s Generation, Industrial Applications, and Transmission divisions. Most recently, Richard served as the Head of Service in North America, where he was responsible for managing all aspects of Large Power Service, including Gas Turbines, Steam Turbines, Generators and Nuclear. Additionally, he is Chairman of the Board for Advanced Airfoil Components.
During this lecture, Voorberg shared the goals of Siemens Energy as well as predictions in energy generation in the coming decades. His specific call to action was partnership throughout this transition. “Everyone must work together: academia, trade groups, customers, start-up companies, must all work in partnership – I truly believe it is a partnership to solve the world’s problems. It’s too big of a calling for one person to do this.” He maintains the only way that the world can meet the growing demand for electricity while protecting our climate is together, through partnership. One partnership Voorberg shared is the partnership between Siemens Energy, Hari Oni, Porsche, and Amazon. Within this example, Chile is taking power, converting it to hydrogen, and then into a synthetic gasoline. This synthetic gasoline is then exported to Europe for Porsche, thereby creating green hydrogen production solutions.
Voorberg projected that we can expect a 50% increase in global electricity generation by 2040, yet 770 million people are still living without access to electricity, further stating that “our obligation as energy capable companies is how to get electricity to those without access.” He further explained that Siemens Energy, as an integrated energy company, work in a pathway that enables better integration of different energy systems. Their energy generation method consists of a power plant producing electricity, which then will find its way to an electrolyzer in the “new energy business factories.” This process generates clean ammonia and many other forms of energy by separating the hydrogen to burn, as a carbon-free alternative to natural gas.
Four steps were outlined to continue the path to decarbonization and net zero emissions:
- Enable society to grow: Wind to Hydrogen Solutions is the first major step to develop an industrial-scale system harvesting green hydrogen from offshore wind enabling decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors like transportation. Use of an electrolyzer underneath the wind turbines converts the water to green hydrogen.
- Boost productivity: The modular design of the electrolyzer provides unique scaling of PEM electrolysis for high plant efficiency and availability, which enables low H2 production costs. The goal of boosting productivity is $1/kilo per hydrogen within the decade.
- Additive manufacturing: Transforming the energy industry with faster artificial intelligence-based innovation cycles and greater on-demand production methods.
- Plan for the future: Eco Friendly Transmission for next generation transmission products with zero greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are trying to electrify the world and hit that demand growth in the electricity that we see; doing this sustainably and green.” Voorberg maintains the market is currently in the stage of a transformation, but it is not an overnight affair. It’s a long journey ahead, he added, which is why it is pertinent that we work together as a world to achieve these goals.