# Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen: Solving America’s 50 GW Diesel Generator Problem

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2025-08-14
- Length: 45m
- Episode: 85
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/q80vpz58-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-ted-mcklveen

## Summary

Ted McKlveen, co-founder and CEO of Verne, explains how his company’s cryo-compressed hydrogen technology offers a cost-effective alternative to diesel generators for data centers and remote sites. He details the engineering challenges of storing hydrogen at -200°C and 500 bar, and describes Verne’s pivot from heavy-duty trucking to stationary power generation as the primary market. McKlveen argues that replacing the 50 GW of upcoming diesel backup capacity with clean hydrogen can support grid stability and decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors without requiring immediate grid expansion.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=0) Introduction: Ted McKlveen and Verne's Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen
- [3:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=185) McKlveen's Career Path and the 75% Emissions Gap
- [7:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=422) Hydrogen as an Electron Carrier and Grid Support
- [15:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=945) The Pivot from Trucking to Stationary Power
- [23:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=1384) Engineering Cryo-Compressed Storage and Heat Exchangers
- [31:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=1914) Business Model: Selling Electricity, Not Hydrogen
- [39:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-08-14-cryo-compressed-hydrogen-solving-americas-50-gw-diesel-generator-problem#t=2373) Market Scale and Future Outlook

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Verne (company)
- Fervo (company)
- Caterpillar (company)
- Cummins (company)
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab (company)
- Titan Submersible (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [When to colocate data centers with generation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-09-12-when-to-colocate-data-centers-with-generation) (Catalyst)
- [The rise of metal fuels](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-08-27-the-rise-of-metal-fuels) (Catalyst)
- [HIBT Lab! Universal Hydrogen: Paul Eremenko](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-10-20-hibt-lab-universal-hydrogen-paul-eremenko) (How I Built This)
- [Hydrogen, meet salt cavern](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-04-28-hydrogen-meet-salt-cavern) (Catalyst)
- [167. How Hydrogen Will Replace Batteries](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2024-03-26-167-how-hydrogen-will-replace-batteries) (The Next Byte Podcast)

## Citing this page

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