California Hydrogen Business Council announces appointment of Zobel to executive director

The California Hydrogen Business Council (CHBC) today announced the appointment of Bill Zobel as the executive director of the organization. Zobel joins CHBC after over ten years at Trillium, where he served as vice president of business development and marketing and grew the company into a leading U.S. supplier of alternative transportation fuel.

"We are pleased to welcome Bill as the executive director of CHBC," said Lauren Skiver, board chair at CHBC. "We know that his expertise in the alternative fuels industry will provide integral support to CHBC's mission and vision to advance the commercialization of hydrogen in the transportation and energy sectors as an important decarbonization pathway and reinforce California's position as the most advanced renewable energy state in the nation."
Zobel has spent the last fifteen years of his career developing alternative fuel programs for private companies and utilities in the U.S. and California in both business development and regulatory affairs roles.
During his time at Trillium, Zobel helped to diversify the company's alternative fuel portfolio to include hydrogen refueling in order to meet changing market conditions, customer needs, and company goals. He also worked to secure two premier hydrogen projects in the transit sector with the Orange County Transportation Authority, and Champagne-Urbana Mass Transit District.
Zobel also spent a collective 6 years at San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Sempra Energy where he, among other achievements, managed state and federal regulatory engagement for natural gas, hydrogen and electricity business and developed and provided testimony at local, state and federal hearings on a host of policy measures.
"I am thrilled to join CHBC as executive director," said Zobel. "I am encouraged by the direction CHBC is taking to advance the commercialization of hydrogen and hope to apply my unique experience in my new role with this dynamic and progressive organization."
CHBC would also like to thank Jeff Serfass, current executive director of the organization, for his years of unparalleled leadership, dedication and service. Jeff was appointed as executive director of CHBC in 2012 and plans to continue his roles serving as President of Technology Transition Corporation, the firm that has provides staff support to CHBC, and as Executive Director of the Biomass Thermal Energy Council and President of the Hydrogen Education Foundation.