A team of innovative researchers from Bournemouth University (BU) is disrupting the sustainable energy sector with their startup OcenGen, focused on green hydrogen production. OcenGen aims to develop low-cost, high-performance electrocatalysts using earth-abundant transition metals, replacing the need for expensive platinum-group metals in conventional water electrolysis systems.

The technology is designed to work efficiently under mildly alkaline and seawater conditions, making it a promising fit for Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolysers. This innovation presents a cost-effective, scalable alternative to Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) systems, which currently rely heavily on rare metals like iridium. 

Recently selected to join Cohort 8 at Conception X, a leading cross-university program for deeptech ventures created by PhD researchers, OcenGen is one step closer to commercializing its breakthrough technology. The project is also aligned with the UK's Net Zero 2030 goals, as it enables hydrogen production directly from seawater, eliminating the need for costly desalination.

Shadeepa Karunarathne, the PhD researcher at BU and founder of OcenGen, expressed excitement about the project’s potential Our catalyst technology can revolutionize the green hydrogen sector by reducing material costs, enabling large-scale, sustainable hydrogen generation.

The project uses advanced material engineering techniques such as facet engineering and orbital occupancy tuning to optimize oxygen evolution kinetics. The team also integrates machine learning algorithms to accelerate catalyst discovery and process optimization significantly reducing physical experiments.

OcenGen’s team, including Associate Professor Amor Abdelkader, Dr. Chirag Ratwani, and Eshani Fernando, is committed to bridging fundamental science with commercial application. They are now looking for funding and collaborative partnerships to accelerate development and deployment of this game changing technology.

In parallel with its technical advancements, OcenGen is also laying the groundwork for impactful environmental and economic outcomes by targeting offshore and coastal hydrogen production, where conventional infrastructure is limited. By enabling direct hydrogen generation from seawater, the technology not only reduces costs but also opens new avenues for decentralised energy systems in remote or resource-constrained regions. This positions OcenGen as a key player in expanding access to clean energy while contributing to a more equitable and resilient global energy landscape.

Source: https://blogs.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/2025/04/10/bu-researchers-pioneering-green-hydrogen-production-through-ocengen-startup/