HydroStar

What HydroStar does

HydroStar Europe Ltd is a UK-based clean energy technology company founded in 2009 that develops membrane-free electrolysis systems for producing low-cost green hydrogen from non-traditional water sources, including industrial effluent, brackish water, rainwater, and seawater. The core platform, branded HydroStar AquaAdapt™, centres on the HaloCore™ electrolyser — a membrane-free architecture with no moving parts or precious metals that avoids fouling and degradation when fed with real-world wastewater — paired with the patented B9™ electrolyte (a non-toxic, food-grade organic solution made from FDA, GRAS, and EU-approved ingredients) and Metal Hydride Storage delivering 99.9999% purity hydrogen at 400+ bar pressure.

The company monetises through three streams: sale of electrolysis hardware systems, licensing of its HaloCore™ and B9™ technologies to industrial partners and OEMs, and grant-funded innovation project partnerships with utilities, gas networks, and academic institutions (supported by DESNEZ, Innovate UK, and OfGem). Its go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting industrial companies, water utilities, government entities, and energy networks, structured as demonstrator and pilot programs rather than off-the-shelf product sales — exemplified by two 250 kW systems deployed at Yeo Valley (food and beverage) and Welsh Water Cardiff (100% hydrogen boiler), and partnerships with Wales & West Utilities, NGED, Babcock, and ENGIE.

HydroStar operates with a small core team of eight employees and leverages a wider ecosystem of more than 80 researchers, academics, PhD students, and industrial partners across ten UK universities. The company is privately held with no disclosed external venture funding and is co-led by founder/CEO Ian Gordon and founder/Managing Director Gary Nicholson (former MD of Rolls-Royce).

Name

HydroStar

Legal name

HydroStar Europe Ltd

Website

https://hydrostar-eu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HydroStar is a UK clean energy technology company that builds membrane-free electrolysis systems to produce low-cost green hydrogen directly from wastewater, serving industrial companies, water utilities, gas networks, and government entities through pilot projects, hardware sales, and technology licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Green Hydrogen Production Systems

NAICS

Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391), Electric Power Generation (22111)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAGAHAM

Hydrogen Energy Storage & Power-to-X Equipment (electrolyzers, storage, fuel cell systems)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Electrical Equipment & Industrial Electronics/Batteries, Energy Storage & Charging Equipment (Industrial ESS, chargers)

SECONDARYEUAJAJAF

Hydrogen Production Supply & Offtake (Green/Blue H2) for Utility Blending

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Gas Utilities (Distribution)/Decarbonized Gas Programs (RNG, Hydrogen Blending & Power-to-Gas)

SECONDARYEUAFAEAG

Hydrogen Storage Materials & Solid-State Storage (Metal Hydrides, Adsorbents)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Energy Storage & Grid Flexibility (Batteries, Hydrogen Storage, Demand Response)/Hydrogen Storage & Underground Storage (Compressed, Liquid, LOHC, Caverns)

SECONDARYEUACAKAF

Hydrogen CHP (Fuel Cell & H2-Ready Turbines)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Electric Power Generation/Combined Heat & Power (CHP) / Cogeneration

SECONDARYIMAEACAB

Hydrogen (Industrial & Mobility)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Industrial Gases

Keywords

• Green hydrogen production
• Membrane-free electrolysis
• Wastewater-to-hydrogen systems
• Hydrogen storage solutions
• Clean energy technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Green Hydrogen Production Systems: Sale and deployment of membrane-free electrolysis systems for wastewater-to-hydrogen conversion. Revenue from equipment sales, system integration, and project implementation.
2. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary technologies including HaloCore™ electrolyser architecture and B9™ Electrolyte to industrial partners and equipment manufacturers.
3. Innovation Project Partnerships: Joint development projects with industrial and academic partners, often funded through innovation grants (DESNEZ, Innovate UK, OfGem) to develop hydrogen solutions across the value chain.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

HydroStar designs, builds, and supplies membrane-free electrolysis systems that produce low-cost green hydrogen directly from real-world wastewater streams including effluent, brackish water, and seawater. Its product portfolio comprises the HaloCore™ Electrolyser, the patented B9™ organic electrolyte, and integrated Metal Hydride Storage delivering fuel cell grade hydrogen at 400+ bar and 99.9999% purity. These are deployed as on-site demonstrator and pilot systems for industrial, water utility, and government customers seeking distributed hydrogen production without the cost of water purification or precious metal catalysts.

Product overview

HydroStar offers a unified product portfolio centered on membrane-free electrolysis technology for producing low-cost green hydrogen from non-ideal water sources. The core system comprises the HaloCore™ Electrolyser (the main electrolyzer unit featuring membrane-free architecture), paired with the B9™ Electrolyte (a patented organic, non-toxic electrolyte solution) and Metal Hydride Storage (integrated storage, compression and purification delivering fuel cell grade hydrogen at 400+ bar). These products are unified under the HydroStar AquaAdapt™ platform, which serves as the overarching membrane-free electrolysis platform enabling distributed hydrogen production from wastewater, rainwater, brackish water, and seawater. The portfolio spans the hydrogen value chain from production through storage and compression.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HaloCore™: Membrane-free electrolyser platform designed for simplicity and scale with no moving parts or precious metals, producing hydrogen at purity sufficient for gas grid injection.
• B9™ Electrolyte
• HydroStar Aquadapt™

Products and services

• HaloCore™ Electrolyser

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% hydrogen purity for gas grid injection and industrial consumption
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Wales & West UtilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in wastewater-to-green-hydrogen demonstrator projects. Partnership includes exploration of green hydrogen role in powering industry and biomethane production optimisation. Network with over 20 biomethane injection points active across the UK.
• Welsh Water (Dŵr Cymru)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing wastewater feedstock for demonstration projects. Cardiff site hosts 100% hydrogen boiler installation providing low-carbon heat supply for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water offices. Multiple water feedstocks including final effluent, rainwater and estuarine sources.
• Yeo ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner hosting demonstration site where 20% hydrogen blend is supplied to onsite natural gas boiler. Onsite utilisation of by-product oxygen within wastewater treatment process. Flexible water feedstocks including process effluent, rainwater and borehole supply.
• NGED (National Grid Electricity System Operator)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner in breakthrough wastewater-to-green-hydrogen demonstrator projects contributing to UK Net Zero and energy security goals.
• Babcock InternationalstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner collaborating on hydrogen solutions. Babcock won Net Zero Resource Efficiency category at MOD Sanctuary Awards for work with HydroStar technology.
• ENGIEstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as strategic partner in HydroStar's partner ecosystem for hydrogen deployment.
• Caerphilly County Borough CouncilstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in microplastic mitigation project. Led to mobile Smart-Space laboratory for on-site microplastic assessments and future on-site green-hydrogen facility development.
• Cardiff University (Cardiff Catalysis Institute)coreTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner under South Wales Launchpad programme for microplastic mitigation. Engineering advanced flocculation-coagulation system that eliminates microplastic pollutants before electrolysis.
• Ixora EnergystrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading AD (anaerobic digestion) operator partnering on innovative project to boost biomethane yields by injecting green hydrogen at key stages of the process.
• London South Bank University (LSBU)strategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner integrating cutting edge academic research into commercial innovation.
• Cardiff UniversitystrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's academic network.
• Coventry UniversitystrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• University of PlymouthstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• University of StrathclydestrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• Durham UniversitystrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• University of SouthamptonstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• University of ExeterstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• Newcastle UniversitystrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network.
• University of South WalesstrategicTechnology or IntegrationTechnology and research partner in HydroStar's university network under South Wales Launchpad programme.
• WestermansminorOthersPreferred supply partner for equipment and components.
• Tyne and Wear Engineers LtdminorOthersPreferred supply partner for engineering services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hydrostar-eu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HydroStar