3M announced today that it has made a strategic investment in green hydrogen tech company Ohmium International, as part of its efforts to expand into emerging climate technologies.

Hydrogen is viewed as one of the key building blocks of the transition to a cleaner energy future, particularly for sectors with difficult to abate emissions, in which renewable energy solutions such as wind or solar are less practical. Around 90 million metric tons of hydrogen are produced annually, although the vast majority is extracted using fossil fuels, which create pollutants and GHG emissions. The development of clean hydrogen capacity, such as green hydrogen, which uses renewable energy to power the process to extract hydrogen from other materials, will require massive investments in areas including infrastructure, electrolysis, and transport.

Founded in 2019, Nevada-based Ohmium designs and manufactures modular, scalable proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer systems for the production of green hydrogen. Using PEM electrolysis technology, water is fed into an anode, electricity is applied to split the water into hydrogen ions, electrons and oxygen, and the hydrogen protons are then conducted through the PEM membrane to the cathode, reacting with electrons to form hydrogen gas. Ohmium’s electrolyzers use 100% renewable energy to produce green hydrogen.

The investment by 3M follows a $250 million capital raise by Ohmium last year, aimed at scaling its business, including its manufacturing capacity for electrolyzers and its international presence.

Arne Ballantine, Ohmium CEO said:

“We’re very pleased to partner with an industry leader like 3M and look forward to collaborating with them on continued innovation in catalysts and other electrolyzer materials. Their investment in Ohmium is another testament to the strength of our technology and our track record in deployment.”

According to 3M, the new investment forms part of its commitment to advancing technologies that support the transition to a low-carbon economy, and that may help the company further decarbone its own operations.

3M added that the investment aligns with its strategic growth platform in climate tech and its vision to leverage its expertise in material science in support of the Department of Energy’s “Hydrogen Energy Earthshot” and the industry goal of reducing the cost of green hydrogen production to $1 per kilogram.

Mark Copman, Senior Vice President, 3M New Growth Ventures said:

“Our investment in Ohmium demonstrates 3M’s dedication to fostering innovative technologies that can lead to a more sustainable future. We see significant potential for collaboration in areas such as advanced materials, which can further enhance the efficiency and scalability of green hydrogen production.”

3M has said that it expects to invest approximately $1 billion to achieve its environmental sustainability goals over the next 20 years, which include achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, reducing water use by 25% at its facilities by 2030, and returning higher quality water to the environment after use in manufacturing operations.