Laura Parkan joins C3E & women in hydrogen to take on the energy transition

This week C3E, the Clean Energy, Education and Empowerment Initiative, brought together industry leaders for a discussion on hydrogen and the energy transition. Hydrogen today provides a unique opportunity to transform our energy economy to one that is sustainable, reliable and efficient. Transformational as hydrogen is, so are the executives and industry leaders advancing the market today - women leaders in particular. 

C3E, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, MIT Energy Initiative, Stanford Energy and Texas A&M Energy Institute, is an organization committed to fostering and advancing women’s leadership in clean energy. The recent panel, “Women in Hydrogen: Hydrogen, A Rising Pillar of Our Clean Energy Future” brought together female hydrogen experts from industry, government and academia. Air Liquide’s VP of Hydrogen Energy for the Americas, Laura Parkan provided a window into the industrial view of hydrogen and its potential to decarbonize across sectors. Laura highlighted Air Liquide’s 60 year commitment to the hydrogen market and the importance of leveraging that history into a more sustainable future. 

I’ve had the honor of participating in many industry panels but the C3E event provided a wonderful reminder that women are a driving force in the hydrogen market. In the halls of government, in academia and out in the field, hydrogen advocates are working to grow hydrogen, a clean energy technology, into a national ecosystem. The talent among the panel, and throughout the industry, gives me confidence that together, we can advance the transition to a clean energy future.  - Laura Parkan

Laura was joined in conversation by fellow panelists Sunita Satyapal, Director, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, U.S. Department of Energy; Amy Cradic, SVP & COO of Non-Utility Businesses, Strategy and External Affairs, New Jersey Resources; Kristine Wiley, Vice President, Low Carbon Energy Solutions, GTI Energy and moderator Naomi Boness, Managing Director, Stanford Natural Gas Initiative, and Co-Managing Director, Stanford Hydrogen Initiative.

At Air Liquide, hydrogen energy is an important part of meeting our strategic objectives including decarbonizing the planet, but perhaps less obviously, acting for all. Acting for all includes acting for our employees and fostering a culture of empowerment, which is critical to our goal of having 35% of women among professionals and managers by 2025. 

The Air Liquide women leading the hydrogen market today are paving the way for a more sustainable and more equitable future, and workforce, tomorrow.