Switzerland-based company Crosstown has raised US$3.7 million in additional seed funding to enhance the deployment of its H2R Burner technology.

This innovation allows conventional gas turbines to operate on renewable fuels, such as hydrogen, without needing complete system replacements.

The company plans to adapt its technology for turbines made by Rolls-Royce, GE, Siemens, and ABB.

Crosstown also aims to expand sales partnerships with Independent Service Providers (ISPs) and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

Its H2R Burner can cut nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 85% and aims to eliminate carbon dioxide emissions over time.

The funding round included investors like 2100Ventures and Climate Insiders, with support from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy.

Crosstown is currently working with major industry players, including Sulzer and Fortum, to support the transition to clean energy solutions.

🔗 Source: Tech.eu

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Gas turbines’ 80-year evolution creates pathway for hydrogen transition

Gas turbines have undergone remarkable evolution since their commercial debut in Switzerland in 1939, when the first industrial unit operated at just 17.4% efficiency with a 4 MW capacity1.

This technology has steadily improved through multiple generations, with GE’s F-class turbines achieving 45.2% efficiency by 1990 and the HA series reaching a record 62.22% efficiency in 20161.

The industry’s continuous innovation has established gas turbines as critical infrastructure, now producing over one-third of U.S. electricity and serving as essential grid stabilizers2.

Crosstown’s H2R Burner represents the next evolutionary step, building on decades of combustion technology advancement to address hydrogen’s unique challenges, including its flame speed being seven times faster than natural gas—a property that creates flashback risks in conventional systems3.

This technological continuity highlights why retrofitting existing turbines, rather than replacing them entirely, offers a practical decarbonization pathway that leverages billions already invested in energy infrastructure while enabling the transition to zero-carbon fuels.

2️⃣ Preventing stranded assets creates economic and environmental double-win