PowerUP and the Rising Demand for Hydrogen Power

“If you have any noise or heat, you are immediately dead.”

Not the usual opener in my deep-tech interviews. But Ivar Kruusenberg, CEO of PowerUP Energy Technologies, wasn’t being dramatic for effect. For soldiers in the field, silence and invisibility are survival. NATO recently gave PowerUP’s silent, thermally invisible hydrogen fuel-cell generators a “highly recommended” rating. And no surprise, Defense is one of their fastest growing vertical markets.

From Berkeley to Estonia

PowerUP’s story began in 2016, when Ivar was a post-doc researcher at Berkeley. Fascinated by the potential of hydrogen fuel cells, he co-founded the company in California. Timing wasn’t ideal: shale oil was booming, and U.S. investors weren’t eager.

Europe, however, looked different. Energy dependence, supportive grants, and a favorable tax environment made it a better growth environment for PowerUP. In 2019, operations shifted to Estonia, Ivar’s home.

Why Hydrogen?

Backup power is already a $50B market and climbing fast. Diesel and batteries dominate today, but hydrogen brings distinct advantages:

• Invisible — Silent, with no heat signature
• Portable — Lighter with better energy-to-weight than batteries
• Flexible Supply — Can be made anywhere with water and power
• Reliable — Stores indefinitely, unlike diesel which degrades in a year
• Clean — The only emission is water

These features have caught attention across defense, space, hospitals, rescue, telecom, and construction.

Headwinds and Tailwinds

Hydrogen supply was once the biggest barrier. But recent industry investments have improved availability and lowered prices sharply, even in the last 18 months – in some cases by as much as 10x.  Distribution is still a challenge, though it is easing as infrastructure grows.

Regulation may be the toughest nut to crack. Hydrogen rises when it leaks, unlike propane which sinks — so where do you put the monitor? PowerUP is working with regulators to adapt outdated rules to new realities.

On the positive side, EU policy has been a strong tailwind: more defense spending through NATO, and billions committed to building out the hydrogen supply chain.

Power in Partnerships

Scaling a new technology requires trust. PowerUP has built a strong reseller network for local reach and maintenance, along with distributed manufacturing partnerships to handle larger orders.

A Skeptic Converted

I’ll admit, I started the conversation as a hydrogen skeptic. But PowerUP is tackling real problems with field-tested products, clearly defined markets, and partnerships that can scale. That’s a story worth paying attention to — quietly, of course.