Tobe Energy scales hydrogen technology in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City-based Tobe Energy is preparing for its first large-scale commercial deployment later this year, marking a significant milestone as the company scales its hydrogen production technology from pilot development to commercial application. 

The energy technology company is developing a proprietary form of isothermal electrolysis, a process designed to produce hydrogen more efficiently and at a lower cost than traditional methods. Since last fall, Tobe Energy has expanded its technology from pilot-scale development to a 50-kilowatt system, while also filing two additional patents and launching NODE-01, a solar-powered demonstration facility. 

"We've moved from pilot to commercial scale - taking our electrolyzer from 1 kilowatt to 50 kilowatts in under a year," said Colby DeWeese, founder and CEO of Tobe Energy. "NODE-01 gives us a real-world platform to demonstrate that clean hydrogen can be produced using renewable energy at meaningful scale." 

The company operates from a facility in Oklahoma City where much of its manufacturing, testing and development work takes place. 

"We're vertically integrated, so almost everything happens under one roof," DeWeese said. "We manufacture and test our own circuit boards, power electronics and components, all the way up to the electrolyzer stacks themselves. Right now the focus is on optimizing hydrogen production: pushing efficiency, reliability and cost down as we scale." 

The company's progress is expected to take another step forward this fall through its first large-scale commercial deployment. Tobe Energy's technology will be installed at an advanced research complex operated by Zeeco in Broken Arrow, providing an opportunity to validate the system in a commercial environment. 

"The Zeeco project is our first large-scale commercial deployment, hosted at their advanced research complex," DeWeese said. "First, it's third-party validation of a commercial-scale system - independent proof that the technology performs in the real world. Second, it connects us to a partner who's plugged into the global energy industry and positioned to help install our technology going forward." 

For DeWeese, Oklahoma City offered a strategic location to grow the company and advance its technology. 

"Oklahoma - and OKC specifically - is the best place in the world to make hydrogen happen," DeWeese said. "Three things stack up here: the second-lowest cost of electricity in the nation, the third-highest share of renewables on the grid and a deep bench of industrial gas expertise. Partners like Zeeco are exactly the kind of talent and infrastructure you can't find just anywhere." 

As the company established operations in Oklahoma City, local partners including the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance helped connect Tobe Energy with resources and facility options that supported its growth. 

Looking ahead, Tobe Energy plans to continue scaling its technology and expanding deployment opportunities. 

According to DeWeese, the Zeeco project is expected to grow to one megawatt of electrolysis capacity next year. The company's longer-term goal is to install 100 megawatts of clean hydrogen production capacity across the country by 2027, supporting applications ranging from data centers to synthetic fuel production. 

"We're building the backbone for American-made clean hydrogen," DeWeese said. "And Oklahoma is where it starts."