A Glasgow based company that has developed a ground breaking approach to producing green hydrogen is seeking £5 million in fresh investment after completing its first fully integrated prototype system in January. Clyde Hydrogen, which emerged from research at the University of Glasgow’s School of Chemistry, uses a process called decoupled electrolysis to split water molecules using renewable electricity, producing hydrogen that is essentially zero carbon at the point of production.
The science behind it is genuinely interesting. Rather than conventional electrolysis, Clyde Hydrogen’s system uses a liquid mediator solution that allows the production of oxygen and hydrogen to be carried out at separate locations, times, and rates. The hydrogen is only released as a gas when the charged mediator passes over a catalyst in a high pressure reactor. The company says this offers significant advantages in safety, flexibility, and cost.
Chief executive James Peck, who joined after a pre seed funding round in April 2024, is now leading the fundraising effort. The company has four full time employees, a PhD research student, and two consultants. Chief technology officer Matt Lees, formerly of PEM electrolyser company ITM, is building and testing the system alongside two research engineers.
The technology stemmed from work led by Professors Symes and Cronin at the University of Glasgow. Professor Symes serves as chief scientific officer, while the company operates from his office at the university. It is a lean setup, but that is often how the most significant breakthroughs begin.
Scotland talks a good game about being a world leader in green energy, but the gap between political rhetoric and commercial reality is wide. Companies like Clyde Hydrogen represent the kind of innovation that could actually deliver on those promises, assuming the investment follows. Five million pounds is not a fortune in the context of the energy sector. If the technology works at scale, the returns for Scotland’s economy could be substantial.