Clyde Hydrogen Systems, a pioneering Scottish start–up that is set, according to several estimates, to ‘revolutionise the hydrogen energy sector’, has announced the successful closure of its pre-seed funding round, totalling over £1m in equity and grants. The process has been supported by Zinc, the University of Glasgow and several strategic ‘angel’ investors.
The investment marks a significant vote of confidence in Clyde Hydrogen’s aim of developing cutting-edge hydrogen production solutions that promise to significantly reduce carbon emissions in pursuit of the global transition to a sustainable energy future. The company’s collaboration with the University of Glasgow provides Clyde Hydrogen access to world-class research facilities and expertise in renewable energy technologies, while Zinc’s involvement brings strategic investment acumen and an established network of industry connections.
Clyde Hydrogen’s breakthrough decoupled electrolyser technology can deliver high pressure green hydrogen safely at scale and at low cost. This has the potential to match renewable energy with hydrogen production in a more productive way than is currently possible – solving one of the industry’s biggest challenges to date.
Decoupled electrolysis provides a means of running the oxygen production and hydrogen production reactions of water splitting separately – in different places, at different times and at rates that are not linked to each other. As a result, the gaseous products of water splitting can be kept apart, and the rate of the (more valuable) hydrogen evolution process can be freed from its dependence on the rate of the (generally more sluggish) oxygen evolution reaction. Decoupled water electrolysis, therefore, has significant potential benefits for the sustainable production of hydrogen from water driven by intermittent renewable power sources.
The pre-seed funding will be instrumental in expanding the company’s R&D team, accelerating technology development, and forging strategic partnerships within the energy sector.
Image courtesy of Clyde Hydrogen