Ossus Biorenewables | Green Hydrogen from Wastewater

Ossus Biorenewables | Green Hydrogen from Wastewater

Renewable Energy

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9 – Industry Innovation and Infrastructure

Company Overview

Ossus Biorenewables Private Limited is an Indian cleantech company that develops bioreactor technology for producing green hydrogen from industrial wastewater. The company was founded in 2017 in Bengaluru, Karnataka, by Suruchi Rao, Kamar Suhail Basha and Shanta Rao. Rao’s doctoral research in bioprocess technology identified an opportunity to treat industrial effluent while simultaneously generating a clean energy carrier, which became the basis for the company’s core technology.

The company’s primary innovation is the OB HydraCel, a bioreactor that uses microorganisms present in industrial effluent to break down carbon content and generate hydrogen gas on-site. This is positioned as an alternative to conventional water electrolysis, which requires significant electrical input and access to pure water.

Ossus Biorenewables is registered as OSSUS BIORENEWABLES PRIVATE LIMITED (CIN U74999MH2017PTC300849), with a registered head office in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and an operational base in Bengaluru, Karnataka. It has piloted its technology with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) at ONGC’s Mehsana asset in Gujarat, an agreement signed during India Energy Week in February 2024, and has been reported to have deployed bioreactor systems in collaboration with Tata Steel. The company has raised seed-stage funding from investors including Gruhas, Rainmatter Climate and Shell’s E4 Accelerator program, and was selected as a participant in the Qualcomm Design in India Challenge.

Why These SDGs Matter

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) applies because the OB HydraCel process treats industrial effluent as part of hydrogen generation, recovering water that would otherwise remain contaminated. SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) is directly relevant since the company’s core product is a lower-cost route to green hydrogen for industrial energy use. SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) reflects the development of a novel bioreactor technology aimed at industrial decarbonization infrastructure. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) applies through the reuse of a waste stream, industrial wastewater, as a production input rather than a disposal burden. SDG 13 (Climate Action) is supported through the substitution of fossil-derived hydrogen and process heat with a lower-carbon alternative for hard-to-abate industries.

Products & Services
  • OB HydraCel bioreactor systems for on-site green hydrogen production
  • On-demand hydrogen production for industrial facilities
  • Build-Own-Operate (BOO) hydrogen infrastructure model
  • Turnkey hydrogen production system design and deployment
  • EPC-assisted hydrogen integration for existing industrial projects
  • Industrial wastewater treatment with water recovery
Business Challenges Solved
  • High capital and energy cost of conventional electrolysis-based hydrogen
  • Dependence on freshwater as an input for green hydrogen production
  • Industrial wastewater and effluent treatment obligations
  • Decarbonization pressure on hard-to-abate sectors such as steel and petrochemicals
  • Hydrogen storage and transport infrastructure costs
  • Capital constraints limiting industrial clients’ clean energy adoption
Approach & Methodology

The OB HydraCel is a bioreactor system that uses naturally occurring microorganisms sourced from industrial effluent as biological catalysts. These microorganisms break down the carbon content of the wastewater, and the resulting bioelectrochemical process generates hydrogen gas on-site, along with treated water as a by-product. This differs from conventional electrolysis, which splits water molecules using direct electrical current and requires both high power input and access to purified water. According to Dealroom’s company database, the process requires as little as 0.76 kWh per kilogram of hydrogen produced, compared with 50 to 55 kWh per kilogram for traditional electrolyzers, though this figure has not been independently verified by NatNavi through a primary technical source. The on-site design is intended to reduce the need for hydrogen storage and long-distance transport infrastructure, which are significant cost components in conventional hydrogen supply chains.

Market Position

Ossus Biorenewables operates in India’s early-stage green hydrogen market, targeting “hard-to-abate” industrial segments such as steel, petrochemicals, refining and pharmaceuticals that face growing decarbonization pressure. Its primary customers are large industrial operators seeking on-site clean hydrogen without the capital burden of conventional electrolyzer infrastructure. The company differentiates itself through a wastewater-based feedstock model rather than standard water electrolysis, and through flexible commercial structures, including a Build-Own-Operate model, that lower the upfront cost barrier for industrial adopters. Its work with ONGC and reported collaboration with Tata Steel indicate initial traction with large public and private sector industrial buyers in India.

Procurement Considerations
  • Confirm effluent composition and volume compatibility with OB HydraCel feedstock requirements
  • Evaluate site space, utility tie-ins and safety requirements for on-site bioreactor installation
  • Compare Build-Own-Operate, turnkey and EPC-assisted models against internal capex and opex preferences
  • Assess hydrogen output volume and purity against downstream process requirements
  • Request documented pilot performance data, such as the ONGC Mehsana deployment, before large-scale commitment
  • Clarify ongoing maintenance, monitoring and technical support arrangements
  • Review the company’s funding stage and financial position given its seed-stage status
Funding, Recognition & Ecosystem
  • Total funding of approximately USD 2.4 million raised across two rounds, most recently in April 2023, as reported by Inc42 Datalabs
  • Investors reported to include Gruhas, Rainmatter Climate, Shell’s E4 Accelerator and Imagine H2O Accelerator
  • Selected as one of twelve startups in the sixth edition of the Qualcomm Design in India Challenge
  • Pilot agreement signed with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) during India Energy Week, February 2024
  • Reported bioreactor deployment in collaboration with Tata Steel
Natnavi Analysis

Ossus Biorenewables addresses two persistent industrial problems at once: the cost and complexity of green hydrogen production, and the burden of industrial wastewater management. By using effluent as a feedstock rather than pure water, the company’s approach sidesteps a common constraint on electrolysis-based hydrogen in water-stressed industrial regions, which is relevant to India’s steel, chemicals and oil and gas sectors specifically.

Its traction with ONGC, a major public sector energy company, and reported work with Tata Steel suggest the technology has moved beyond laboratory demonstration into pilot-scale industrial deployment. The involvement of energy-sector and climate-focused investors, including Shell’s accelerator program, adds a degree of external validation.

At the same time, the company remains at seed funding stage with a small team, and its publicly reported deployments to date are pilot or early-commercial in scale rather than large industrial rollouts. Claims about cost parity with grid hydrogen and expansion into international markets are aspirational statements from the company and its investors rather than independently confirmed outcomes, and procurement teams should treat them as such pending further verification.

Sources & References
Website
Founded: 2017
Company Stage: Startup
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Geographic Presence
Ossus Biorenewables’ operations are centered in India, with reported deployments in Gujarat, including a pilot with ONGC at its Mehsana asset, and a reported collaboration with Tata Steel in Jharkhand. The company has stated intentions to expand into South Asia, Europe and the United States as it scales manufacturing and research capacity.
Solution Type
Manufacturer, Service Provider, Technology Provider
Sustainability Outcomes
Carbon Reduction, Renewable Energy Adoption, Resource Efficiency, Waste Reduction, Water Conservation
Industries Served
Chemicals & Materials, Energy & Utilities, Manufacturing
Last Reviewed: July 26, 2026

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