Maurits van Tol, CEO, Catalyst Technologies, is among the foremost global voices on hydrogen and its rise as a future fuel. From its evolving role in clean energy to India’s emerging leadership in green hydrogen, Van Tol offers a panoramic view. INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY’s Manish Pant spoke with him during India Energy Week this February. In a wide-ranging exchange, Van Tol elaborated on hydrogen’s promise and India’s pivotal role in the global energy transition. Weeks later, that optimism was vindicated when Honeywell announced its £1.8 billion ($2.33 billion) acquisition of Catalyst Technologies from John Matthey Group, a bold move that caught most industry watchers off guard in terms of timing and scale. The deal is expected to reshape the competitive landscape across refining, petrochemicals, and renewable fuels.
To begin, could you briefly outline Catalyst Technologies’ role in the hydrogen space?
At Catalyst Technologies, our team of around 1,900 colleagues develops technologies that convert raw materials, such as coal, oil, gas, carbon dioxide, biomass and municipal solid waste, into marketable molecules, including methanol, ammonia, hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels. We focus on what I often call ‘the clever bit in between’: designing plants and producing catalysts that facilitate the transformation of feedstock into usable products. For blue hydrogen, we offer two technologies tailored to site-specific needs, particularly regarding heat integration and steam requirements. These plants are fully designed to customer specifications. We have also developed catalysts that convert natural gas into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide can be captured and prepared for storage. With green hydrogen, our role centres on component manufacturing; we develop and apply catalysts to membranes, which are customised, shipped, and assembled by the customer into electrolysers or fuel cells. Our R&D organisation plays a critical role. We begin with small-scale reactors, progress to pilot units as the technology matures, and ultimately design full-scale plants for commercial use. Whether it’s blue or green hydrogen, our focus remains on engineering innovation and scaling solutions that support energy transition.
You have often said you prefer facts over forecasts. The past few years have been turbulent, with the pandemic, geopolitical shifts and climate concerns accelerating the hydrogen conversation. How close are we to a boom in green hydrogen?
You are absolutely right! What we have all experienced over the last few years has revealed the depth of interdependencies between nations. Alongside geopolitical factors, I would also add climate change, which has become a central concern given the extreme weather events we are witnessing globally. These pressures are pushing countries to pursue energy security to become more self-sufficient and less reliant on imports. It’s a strong driver for cleantech deployment. This is evident in SAF (sustainable aviation fuel), where mandates now require blending of sustainable components. Our pipeline for e-methanol projects has been growing rapidly, with unprecedented customer interest in low-carbon-intensity variants.
Hydrogen follows the same trajectory.
With blue hydrogen, we are well-positioned to design large-scale plants, thanks to decades of operational experience. But the green
hydrogen value chain is far less mature.
We are scaling it from near-zero levels, which means supply chains must be built out significantly. Demand is crucial, but in some cases it’s still constrained by price; green hydrogen remains expensive because the supply chain hasn’t yet reached efficient scale. It’s still in its early stages. If you consider the oil and gas industry took over a hundred years to become the highly optimised system it is today, we have to accept that the journey for green hydrogen will take time too. That said, blue hydrogen is ready now for deployment
at scale.
And how long might it take for green hydrogen to reach large-scale viability?
We are currently seeing the first plants being developed, but widespread operational deployment will likely be post-2030. At present, smaller units are being installed near refineries to help decarbonise operations. I am aware of large-unit designs that are already on the table, but even if the investment decision is made today, large-scale rollout would still take time. So yes, give it another five years, and I believe we will start seeing real momentum.
In several of your previous interactions, you have touched on the importance of pricing. There has been considerable debate in Europe, particularly in Germany, about green hydrogen’s viability. How do we reach the necessary scale for the fuel to succeed?
For me, it’s quite straightforward. Around 80-85 per cent of the cost of producing green hydrogen is determined by the price of renewable electricity. You need to map where, globally, there is abundant renewable power to bring the industry to scale. That usually correlates with regions offering lower electricity costs. If you look at energy prices in general, Germany isn’t the most competitive example; it’s one of the most expensive regions worldwide. It will be very challenging for the EU to compete with large-scale renewable deployments in places such as the Middle East, Australia and India.
You just noted India’s export advantage. Some experts even describe India as the future ‘Saudi Arabia of green energy’. Do you agree with that assessment?
If India moves swiftly to deploy solar at scale and builds the infrastructure needed to generate and transmit that electricity, and then converts it into molecules like methanol or sustainable aviation fuel, it becomes a matter of national will. That’s what we have seen in China: when the government decides on a strategy, they execute at scale and speed. India could do the same and quickly become a leader in exporting low-carbon chemicals and fuels. There is also an advantage when you consider cross-border adjustment mechanisms. Countries may favour imports of low-carbon-intensity products. If India can produce them competitively, its export position will be very strong. It’s ultimately a decision that needs to be taken at a national level, and from what I have seen, all signs are green. So, go for it!
How could initiatives like the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor contribute? Recent agreements with countries such as Saudi Arabia include plans for green hydrogen pipelines from India.
Corridors and trade agreements that reduce barriers and support large-scale infrastructure deployment are always economically beneficial. As for transporting hydrogen via pipeline, I am not convinced it’s always necessary. Let me explain why. LPG is shipped globally, and a similar model applies to hydrogen, not in its pure form, but as ammonia or methanol, which are much easier to transport. The infrastructure for handling those commodities already exists in many ports, and both ammonia and methanol are part of global markets. They are tradable and usable as fuels in power generation or shipping. I would prioritise converting hydrogen into these molecules rather than building pipelines for long-distance transport. Of course, you have to examine the scale and economics carefully before deciding. But yes, I would run those calculations first.
How do you view the role of hydrogen in the global energy transition and its broader economic impact?
Hydrogen—more specifically, low-carbon hydrogen—plays a pivotal role in the energy transition. It’s important to move away from colour labels and instead focus on the carbon index. For instance, hydrogen produced from natural gas can achieve extremely low carbon intensity when carbon dioxide is captured and technologies like cryogenic separation are applied. In fact, green hydrogen isn’t always cleaner than blue hydrogen; the emphasis should be on low-carbon outcomes. Economically, hydrogen’s impact is substantial. It enables the production of fuels and chemicals with reduced carbon intensity and replaces fossil inputs in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise. In ironmaking, hydrogen can substitute for coke. In cement production, captured carbon dioxide can be converted via reverse water-gas-shift reactions into methanol or even gasoline.
These technologies not only support decarbonisation but also transform emissions into valuable products. For example, at refineries in Spain, captured carbon dioxide and low-carbon hydrogen are being used to create fuel components. Hydrogen’s contribution extends to aviation, too. India, with its abundant biomass, is well-positioned to produce SAF. Combining biomass with low-carbon hydrogen boosts yields significantly, particularly by helping strip out oxygen, leading to more efficient SAF production.
ATF has always been one of the biggest operational expenses for airlines. SAF adds to this cost, and aviation is a high-investment, low-yield sector. With new EU norms coming soon, how viable is the shift to SAF?
I have quite a clear view on this, shaped by many conversations with the airline industry. Some stakeholders have publicly highlighted how fuel costs influence ticket prices. But in reality, blending in 2-10 per cent SAF doesn’t significantly affect ticket prices. If you compare prices before and after the pandemic, ticket costs have risen by a factor of three, four or even five due to shifts in supply and demand. That far outweighs any price increase from adding renewable components to the fuel mix. To be honest, many airline customers we speak to, including ourselves as consumers, believe the additional cost is manageable. They are willing to pay. That’s why you see airlines such as KLM—alongside Air France, Delta, Virgin and others—actively supporting SAF deployment. They are helping scale the market because they believe it’s viable. And as we grow the industry, the costs become more competitive. Biomass-derived SAF, in particular, becomes more affordable and scalable over time.
What role are Catalyst Technologies’ Indian operations playing in developing low-carbon technologies for global markets?
We have a long-standing presence in India, manufacturing across multiple sites. Last October, we opened an engineering office in Mumbai, which has been expanding rapidly. It now includes roles in commercial excellence and operational excellence, many of which have global scope despite being based in Mumbai. What is interesting is how our global engineering model is evolving. We initially operated from London, then expanded to Manchester to tap into local talent. A few months later, we opened in Mumbai, drawn by India’s engineering heritage and the wealth of skilled professionals available here. It also brings us closer to our customers in the country and across Asia. Whether it’s London, Manchester or Mumbai, all three centres share the same mission. Each has a global remit. Our Mumbai office works not just with Indian clients, but also with customers in the US and Europe. Likewise, our London team supports Indian projects where relevant. These offices coordinate closely, allocating resources and matching capabilities across our project portfolio. In terms of manufacturing, we produce a large volume of catalysts in Panki, near Kanpur. Around 95 per cent of that is exported; only 5 per cent is used domestically. It’s a vast operation, with multiple catalyst plants. While we support Indian projects, we are equally focused on Asia-Pacific and global markets. We now employ several hundred people in Kanpur and Mumbai. Catalyst Technologies’ footprint in India is expanding rapidly.
Van Tol’s Steps to a Clean Energy Future
- Realism Over Rush: Hydrogen’s steady rise is shaped by economic pragmatism, infrastructure gaps, and careful scaling across
supply chains. - Ready Now: Blue hydrogen is deployment-ready; green hydrogen remains in its early phase, with meaningful scale expected only post-2030.
- Cost is King: Up to 85% of green hydrogen’s production cost is tied to renewable electricity, making energy pricing the decisive factor.
- India’s Advantage: Solar potential, land availability, and population density favour India over congested regions like the EU.
- Export Catalysts: With domestic targets and global demand, India is well-positioned to lead in exporting low-carbon fuels
and chemicals. - Aviation Fuel Shift: Combining biomass with low-carbon hydrogen makes SAF costs viable for airlines, with global adoption gaining momentum.
- Global Engineering Footprint: Catalyst Technologies’ India operations now serve clients across Asia, Europe, and the US.