(EDMONTON METROPOLITAN REGION)— A team from the University of Calgary is taking home $10,000 as the winners of the Global Hydrogen Case Competition, an international student case competition that provided undergraduate students with the opportunity to showcase their problem-solving skills in front of some of the Edmonton Region’s leaders in the hydrogen sector
Five teams, made up of undergraduate students from a range of disciplines, travelled to the Edmonton Region to attend the Canadian Hydrogen Convention and present their strategic solutions at North America’s largest hydrogen conference. This year’s competition attracted applications from students around the world, including representation from 16 countries. Students from Canada, Malaysia, India, Chile, France, Argentina, Pakistan, Kenya, South Africa, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, Nigeria, Italy, Peru, and Indonesia. participated in the preliminary round.
The problem statement that students were tasked with solving was:
Energy companies are racing to reach net zero emissions, and BigEnergy Inc. does not want to fall behind. Currently, they specialize in the oil and gas service industry. As of late, the company’s performance has been dwindling, primarily due to a combination of decreased global oil prices, increased regulatory pressures for cleaner energy, and shifting market demands towards renewable energy sources. Luckily, they have a strong cash position in their balance sheet and are willing to pay for a large project to shift their operations within Canada and greater North America. Company management has identified hydrogen as the future of energy and they want to transform their operations to position themselves as leaders in the field. However, transitioning from their current, oil-based operations toward hydrogen presents significant economic challenges and requires strategic navigation of the policy landscape. Federal and provincial governments in Canada are offering significant tax reductions and cost subsidies if BigEnergy Inc. can implement a solution that is economically viable, aligned with policy, socially responsible, and attracts investors to the Region.
The competition served as a platform to demonstrate the next generation of leaders in the hydrogen economy. The finalists presented to a panel of expert judges from Qualico Communities, Apex Utilities, Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association, RBC, Deloitte, and Air Liquide Canada. Ultimately it was Quest Consulting, a student team from the University of Calgary, that was selected by the judges as having presented the winning solution.
The Global Hydrogen Case Competition was organized in partnership with Edmonton Global and the University of Alberta Interdisciplinary Consulting Association, and sponsored by Air Liquide (the competition’s platinum sponsor), Apex Utilities, Deloitte, RBC, Qualico, Alberta Industrial Heartland, MacEwan University, and Linde Canada,.
QUOTES:
“Participating in the Hydrogen Case competition was truly an amazing and invaluable experience for our team. While we are extremely honoured and grateful to have won, the connections and insights we have gained from our judges, industry professionals, and our fellow competitors will leave a lasting impact throughout our careers. We would like to especially thank the Haskayne School of Business, the Schulich School of Engineering, Catherine Heggerud, Dr. Mayank Sabharwal, and Stephanie Hamblin for their extensive support throughout this journey. We extend our sincere gratitude for the opportunity to challenge ourselves with such a unique case and we are excited to continue challenging ourselves in the future.” – Yalena Sermeno, Quest Consulting
“It was an amazing experience, outstanding work and presentations done by the students!! They have shown a lot of passion and dedication for the H2 industry and they were eager to learn and deepdive into details!! this experience have pushed myself and the other judges to think out of the box!! I am gratefully to Air Liquide Canada and the Edmonton global to give the chance to be part of this experience!” – Taoufik Saidani, Directeur – Marchés Clés et Affaires Gouvernementales Manager – Key Markets & Government Affairs, Air Liquide Canada
“Edmonton Global congratulates the winners of the 2024 Global Hydrogen Student Case Competition. This competition is a highlight of the Canadian Hydrogen Convention and this year, we were pleased to host international students in the Edmonton Region. All the presentations from the 2024 finalists were creative, focused, and innovative. Building a hydrogen economy has challenges, but I’m convinced that with young leaders like those that participated in this challenge, our future is tremendously bright.” – Malcolm Bruce, CEO, Edmonton Global
About Edmonton Global
The purpose of Edmonton Global is to radically transform and grow the economy of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. We are a not-for-profit corporation founded by 14 municipalities that make up the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. Our focus is attracting foreign investment, helping Regional businesses export with the world, enhancing our Region’s global competitiveness, and bringing our Region together with a unified voice to attract the attention and interest of investors the world over.
About The University of Alberta Interdisciplinary Consulting Association
The University of Alberta Interdisciplinary Consulting Association (ICA) is a student run organization founded at the U of A. The ICA educates students on the consulting industry, interview processes, and case solving techniques. We also focus on connecting students to seasoned professionals and top tier consulting firms via mixers, mentorship programs, and case competitions.
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