From co-founding Europe’s first hydrogen certification scheme to advising governments and private companies in more than 50 countries, Hinicio marks two decades of contribution to industrial decarbonization.
In 2006, a group of friends in Brussels founded Hinicio with a shared vision: that hydrogen would play an important role in the transition toward a decarbonized economy. Two decades later, that vision has grown into a global firm with services delivered in +50 countries. What began as a boutique consultancy specialized in renewable hydrogen is today an international firm focused on the decarbonization of the hardest-to-abate sectors.
That journey is reflected in concrete figures: +200 experts of diverse nationalities who have worked at Hinicio, offices in Brussels, Paris, Madrid, Santiago, and Bogotá, more than 350 clients supported, and over 1,000 studies in all continents, advising governments, multilateral organizations, investors, banks, industrial players, and project developers in the energy, transport and mobility, and heavy industry sectors.
Building the foundations of a new industry
In 2014, Hinicio co-founded CertifHy, the first European guarantee of origin certification scheme for hydrogen. Since its creation, this framework has been an essential instrument for the development of the European hydrogen market. In parallel, Hinicio has supported companies in accessing European funds aimed at financing innovative projects in renewable energy and hydrogen, in line with the European Union’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
Also in 2015, Hinicio opened its first office in Latin America, in Bogotá, anticipating the strategic role the region would come to play in global decarbonization. Afterwards, the firm expanded in 2020 its presence with a second office in Santiago, Chile, strengthening its capacity to support the development of the hydrogen industry and its derivatives across the continent.
Since then, Hinicio has contributed to the design of regulatory frameworks and roadmaps, supporting governments in Colombia, Panama, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The firm has also played an active role in the development of national hydrogen associations, including as a co-founder of the Chilean and Colombian hydrogen associations. Across the region, Hinicio has delivered over 250 projects to date.
In 2021, Hinicio launched ANDREA, a modeling and optimization tool for Power-to-X projects. ANDREA enables companies and developers to design and optimize integrated systems, while incorporating the technical, regulatory, and market constraints of each specific context. Its development reflects Hinicio’s evolution toward increasingly integrated and sophisticated solutions.
What comes next
In 2023, Hinicio joined the Vulcain Engineering Group, a partnership that combines the strategic depth and market knowledge accumulated over two decades with the engineering capabilities of a leading European group. This integration significantly expands Hinicio’s capacity to address decarbonization challenges of greater scale and complexity.
“Over the past twenty years, Hinicio has built its identity around hydrogen and derivatives, and that expertise remains our foundation as we tackle a wider set of decarbonization challenges. But as we look ahead, we are making a shift in how we think about the decarbonization challenge: instead of starting from the supply chain (hydrogen and its derivatives), we start with the demand side and focus on how to deliver real, useful energy and feedstock (avoiding the trap of the so-called primary energy fallacy). In practice, this means asking first: how to accelerate the business case of a fertilizer producer that needs to source clean power and RFNBOs for its process? What’s the willingness to pay for a shipping company that needs to move cargo across long routes with near-zero emissions? What hybrid solutions can be developed today for the useful energy needed for long-haul flights? We don’t fall in love with the solution (i.e., the supply), we fall in love with the problem (i.e., the demand)“, says Hans Kulenkampff, CEO of Hinicio.
This demand-first lens also changes how Hinicio will think about its services. Rather than focusing on 100% Zero Carbon transition, the updated right question becomes how much decarbonization each customer is willing to pay and by when.
“We will also apply value innovation by deliberately choosing what to reduce, what to raise, and what to create, focusing on hybrid decarbonization, where molecules, electrons, and business cases come together. AI will also help us work faster and reduce the cost of high-quality advisory work for our clients, but in complex decarbonization projects, judgment will remain our most important asset,” says Hans.
Looking ahead, the firm continues to expand its portfolio of solutions, integrating complementary decarbonization technologies and supporting clients at every stage of the project lifecycle, from pre-feasibility studies through to the final investment decision (FID).
“We have 20 years of legacy to be proud of, staying close to our clients, protecting our quality, learning fast, and delivering complex work together as one global team. That foundation is what will carry us through the next 20 years,“ says Hans.
Thanks to our clients, partners, colleagues, and alumni who have been part of this journey. The next chapter starts now.
