EVOLOH, Inc., a manufacturer of electrolyzer stacks for electrolytic hydrogen production, has announced a significant milestone in its commercialization: a commercial-scale pilot project agreement to deploy EVOLOH’s S440 packaged hydrogen system at a 3M manufacturing facility. The system, rated at 2.5 megawatts, will be operational in 2027 subject to obtaining any required regulatory approvals, and will be used in an emissions reduction application at the plant, making it EVOLOH’s largest real-world deployment to date.

The agreement calls for EVOLOH to jointly operate the system under a pilot program designed to collect performance data from a live industrial environment. The project will qualify for the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit (45V), further strengthening the economics of green hydrogen at scale. 

This deepens a long-term partnership between the two companies. 3M Ventures, the venture capital arm of 3M, made an initial investment in EVOLOH as part of the company’s $20 million Series A round in 2024. Today’s project announcement reflects 3M’s continued confidence in EVOLOH’s technology and commercial trajectory. Beyond the investor relationship, EVOLOH also incorporates advanced sealing materials supplied by 3M into the manufacture of its electrolyzer stacks, making 3M a materials partner as well as an investor and host site for the commercial project.

The S440 system is built around EVOLOH’s Nautilus® electrolyzer stack, which uses anion exchange membrane (AEM) technology to produce hydrogen without corrosive electrolytes, precious metals, or rare-earth materials. Designed to operate behind the meter and load-follow intermittent power sources, the system offers a path to low-cost hydrogen production without reliance on policy subsidies. EVOLOH’s stacks are manufactured using high-throughput, roll-to-roll processes from earth-abundant materials, enabling a resilient domestic supply chain and a levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) well below $2/kilogram.

“Deploying our S440 system at a 3M plant is exactly the kind of real-world validation that moves our industry forward,” said Dr. Jimmy Rojas, founder and CEO of EVOLOH. “Operating at commercial scale inside one of the world’s most demanding industrial environments demonstrates that EVOLOH’s technology is ready — not just on paper, but in the plant. We’re grateful to 3M for their continued partnership and their confidence in what we’re building.”

“Our investment in EVOLOH brings together 3M material science and advanced hydrogen technology while expanding our understanding of next-generation energy systems,” said Mark Copman, Senior Vice President, 3M New Growth Ventures. 

“This deployment will provide important operational learnings in behind-the-meter hydrogen production while supporting fuel resilience and emissions reduction,” said Rebecca Teeters, Senior Vice President, Business Supply Chain and President, 3M Chemical Operations LLC.

The project announcement comes as EVOLOH prepares for a growth-stage fundraising round later this year to expand commercial manufacturing capacity and accelerate project deployments.