Company Spotlight: Electrogenos
Published on 27 March 2024
How musicals, high fashion and kettles could unlock green hydrogen
Although a critical player in our transition towards a greener future, the production of hydrogen has a darker side. An estimated 98% of the £145 billion industry is dependent on non-renewable sources to power catalysts which split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
The Milton Park team caught up with Park-based Electrogenos, the team playing a key role in the future production of green hydrogen, to learn more about its disruptive solution which hopes to produce the greener gas for less than £1 per kilogram.
Electrogenos’ purpose
Electrogenos’ team have set their sights on uncoupling the production of hydrogen from non-renewables. It’s an ambitious journey to make green hydrogen cleaner, scalable and accessible to everyone, in a booming market expected to reach £1.3 trillion by 2050.
Since the team joined Milton Park in the summer of 2022, the company has developed a novel electrolyser catalyst which reduces reliance on precious metals and increases the sustainability and efficiency of green hydrogen production, for less.
The team’s work is vital in transitioning away from grey hydrogen, which is dependent on fossil fuels, to green hydrogen, as they seek to significantly lower the cost and impact of production.
A truly scrumptious idea
Electrogenos’ vision emerged from the dream of its CEO, Augusto, a materials scientist, who was inspired to become an inventor because of the iconic film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Alongside his friend Alfredo, with a background in consulting and private enterprise, the pair set about turning his revolutionary idea into reality.
Brewing up an idea
In his previous role a materials scientist, Augusto innovated coatings for heat exchangers – similar to how gas bubbles separate from the heating element in kettles – whilst studying for a PHD at UCL. That’s where he got an idea for a new catalyst, which would then produce green hydrogen.
Augusto quickly picked up the phone to his friend Alfredo, and Electrogenos was born.
Making hydrogen smarter, leaner and cleaner
Instead of using pricey rare-earth metals, Electrogenos uses a simple alloy made of abundant elements through a process called electroplating.
The resulting solution is a novel, cost effective, and scalable catalyst. Whilst others might pay £300-£1,200 per square metre for a catalyst, Electrogenos’ solution is more efficient and does it for a fraction of the price.
The team are currently in an R&D phase, with the scalable process meaning they don’t need huge factories just yet.
A catwalk catalyst
Electrogenos is putting ambitious growth plans in place for a pilot manufacturing plant, as they seek to commercialise with a megawatt-scale electrolyser stack by 2025. Tentatively, they are seeking out opportunities in Northern Italy, which just so happens to be a centre of excellence in electroplating due to the abundance of high fashion houses.
Inspired surroundings
With ambitious growth plans, Electrogenos’ team benefit from the proximity to like-minded companies at Milton Park and the opportunity to attract top talent to their cause from the wider Golden Triangle.
To see out these plans, the team are currently raising funds for a seed round and looking for investors and partners to join them in a mission to make hydrogen greener.
Augusto Bartolome, CEO and co-founder of Electrogenos, said: “We had a shared lab previously, which was difficult to travel to, but our new space at Milton Park is incredibly convenient. The Park is a motivating environment for me and the team and gives us ample space to grow.
“Being in an accessible location, and in an ecosystem with like-minded young companies and motivated people, our presence allows us to innovate and attract new employees right here in the Golden Triangle.”
