OM Energy: technology to clean up the fossil fuel engine

Imagine a fully developed ‘hydrogen economy’. Most analysts are now talking in terms of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. We helped one company to hurry the process along.

Meet OM Energy, the Russian scientific team with a unique vision for a cleaner and brighter future who have been supported all the way by the GEP. “The potential for this technology is truly exceptional,” says GEP dealmaker Eric Van der Kleij. Van der Kleij is the dealmaker instrumental in bringing OM Energy under our wing, he recognised the immense value of this innovation immediately.

A novel approach to cleaning up conventional fuels

The origins of OM Energy lie in a privately supported research project by a small team of Russian scientists, one of whom is a former colleague of Andrei Sakharov. The company’s core team also boasts two leading Russian business strategists, including a relative of the pioneering helicopter engineer Igor Sikorsky.

OM Energy’s scientists have invented a device called the Electro Hydrogen Generator, which uses a more efficient method of electrolysis to extract hydrogen from water and use it a way that solves the key issues of storing and transporting the gas. The device can be fitted alongside a regular internal combustion engine in a car and the hydrogen is generated from a small tank of water while on the move. The gas is then mixed with the fuel stock, cleaning it up as it does so.

An extraordinary invention

“The Electro Hydrogen Generator will significantly reduce the amount of pollutants created within a regular engine,” says dealmaker Eric. “This is an extraordinary invention”.

“I was searching for a clean-tech project to add to my portfolio of deals and I looked at more than 20 other possibilities before green lighting OM Energy,” continues Eric. “The reason I think this project is so interesting is because they’re not saying, “We’re going to make a purely water powered car”, they’re saying that this technology can help to clean up the fossil fuel engine. “So it doesn’t challenge the existing automobile and gasoline industry, it complements it,” Eric enthuses.

An alignment of the stars in the UK

Having developed their base technology in Russia, OM Energy’s management felt they needed to move to a strong strategic location to expand their business. It was thanks to Eric Van der Kleij and the GEP that they chose the UK.

Eric has assisted the company with every aspect of the migration. He also obtained no less than three top UK scientific validations of OM Energy’s work. "The scientists were nervous about that process, but the results were very empowering for them," he says. “We also helped the team file worldwide patents for the company’s global intellectual property.”

Building a syndicate of technology investors

Significantly, Eric has put together a syndicate of technology investors to finance a new prototype of the Electro Hydrogen Generator. In doing so, he engineered what amounts to a double win for the GEP. Because as well as convincing OM Energy to set up their headquarters in the UK, he also persuaded the main investor in the company, Alps Ventures, to move the major part of their operations from the US to the UK.

No wonder Eric calls the OM Energy deal ‘an alignment of the stars’.

Attracting a high calibre Chief Executive

The clearest mark of the success of OM Energy is perhaps the fact that the company has appointed one of the most respected captains of the automobile industry as its Chief Executive. Donald Smith, formerly of Chrysler Motors and Ricardo Engineering, turned down two high profile offers in order to work for a start-up operation.

“It’s great to have someone of that calibre on board,” says Van der Kleij. “But that’s one of the things the GEP does. We help small companies to punch above their weight and land a Chief Executive like Donald Smith ­– which is an amazing achievement.”