Proof Energy
Proof Energy is a private Fremont, California-based clean energy company commercializing metallic solid oxide fuel cells and the ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heater to extend battery electric vehicle range and decarbonize commercial transportation using low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Proof Energy does
Proof Energy Inc. is a private clean-energy hardware company founded in 2018 and headquartered in Fremont, California. The company commercializes Metallic Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (M-SOFC) technology originally developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, targeting the decarbonization of commercial transportation and the elimination of up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions by displacing diesel engines. Its product portfolio spans three lines: Fuel Cells 2.0 M-SOFC systems that operate on low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels (ethanol, methanol, ammonia, natural gas) and claim higher energy density than compressed hydrogen; the ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heater, which delivers up to 12 kW of thermal output on bioethanol with zero NOx, SOx, CO, hydrocarbon, and particulate emissions and interfaces with vehicle coolant systems via standard CAN protocol; and the Range Defender brand, a BEV cold-climate range-extension solution addressing the up-to-50% winter driving-range loss caused by electric heater battery drain.
Proof Energy sells hardware directly to commercial BEV fleet operators and commercial electric transportation customers through an enterprise field sales motion, supported by participation in industry events such as ACT Expo 2026 and accelerator programs such as Halliburton Labs. No public pricing has been disclosed and no end-customer logos are named. In July 2022, Anhui Zhonghuan Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. invested $12 million for a 22.16% stake, making Proof Energy a subsidiary and committing to joint ventures in China for hydrogen and fuel cell manufacturing aligned with China's dual-carbon strategy. The company holds supporting partnerships with Aemetis (bioethanol supply), Coulomb Solutions Inc. (EV/charging), Plug and Play (ecosystem), and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (foundational technology), and is pursuing CARB certification for ClearTherm.
Proof Energy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Proof Energy
- Legal name
- Proof Energy Inc.
- Website
- https://proof-energy.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Proof Energy is a private Fremont, California-based clean energy company commercializing metallic solid oxide fuel cells and the ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heater to extend battery electric vehicle range and decarbonize commercial transportation using low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Proof Energy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fuel Cell and Zero-Emissions Heating Hardware
- NAICS
- Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Power Boiler and Heat Exchanger Manufacturing (33241)
- SIC
- Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Engines & Turbines (3510), Cogeneration Services & Small Power Producers (4991)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Automotive HVAC Modules & Integrated Climate Units (IMACALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Automotive Thermal Management for Electrified Powertrains (Battery/Inverter/Motor Cooling) (IMACALAD), Fuel Cell CHP (SOFC/PEM—Natural Gas/Biogas/Hydrogen) (EUACAKAG), Fuel Cell Distributed Generation (Hydrogen/Natural Gas SOFC/PEM) (EUACALAK)
Keywords
Where Proof Energy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Proof Energy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Fuel Cell Products: Revenue from commercialization of M-SOFC fuel cell systems and ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heaters for commercial electric vehicles
- ClearTherm Heater Sales: Sales of proprietary ClearTherm zero emissions catalytic oxidation heaters as standalone products for BEV fleet operators
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Proof Energy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Proof Energy designs, manufactures, and commercializes metallic solid oxide fuel cell (M-SOFC) systems and ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heaters for commercial transportation and industrial applications. Its ClearTherm heater delivers up to 12kW of zero-emissions thermal output on bioethanol fuel and serves as a range extender for battery electric vehicles in cold climates, while its M-SOFC stacks run on low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels such as ethanol, methanol, ammonia, and natural gas to displace diesel engines in commercial vehicles and stationary power.
Product overview
Proof Energy offers a portfolio of renewable energy technologies focused on decarbonizing commercial transportation. The core product line consists of: (1) Fuel Cells 2.0 - fuel agnostic metallic solid oxide fuel cells (M-SOFCs) that run on hydrogen carrier fuels like ethanol, methanol, ammonia, and natural gas; (2) ClearTherm - a zero emissions catalytic oxidation heater that serves as a range extender for BEVs in cold climates, delivering up to 12kW thermal output; and (3) Range Defender - a BEV range extension solution addressing the 50% driving range loss in winter conditions. The ClearTherm product is derived from Proof Energy's proprietary SOFC fuel cell technology.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ClearTherm: Proprietary zero emissions catalytic oxidation heaters providing breakthrough range extender solutions for Battery Electric Vehicles operating in cold climates. The ClearTherm system runs on readily available, low-cost bioethanol fuel, delivers zero NOx, SOx, HCs, CO and particulate emissions, provides up to 12kW of thermal output, and interfaces with existing vehicle coolant-based heating systems using standard CAN protocol.
- Range Defender
Products and services
- ClearTherm Catalytic Oxidation Heater Proprietary ClearTherm zero emissions catalytic oxidation heater that delivers up to 12kW of thermal output on low-cost bioethanol fuel. Produces zero NOx, SOx, hydrocarbons, CO, and particulate emissions, interfaces with existing vehicle coolant-based heating systems using standard CAN protocol, and meets CARB standards (certification pending). It is designed as a drop-in replacement for conventional diesel fuel-fired and electric heaters in commercial BEVs.
- Range Defender for Battery Electric Vehicles Range Defender is Proof Energy's branded BEV range extension solution that uses ClearTherm catalytic heater technology to eliminate the parasitic driving range loss caused by electric cabin and coolant heaters in cold climates, recovering up to 50% of winter driving range for commercial battery electric vehicles.
- Fuel Cells 2.0 (Metallic Solid Oxide Fuel Cells) Fuel-agnostic metallic solid oxide fuel cells (M-SOFCs) that operate on low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels including ethanol, methanol, ammonia, and natural gas, delivering higher energy density than high-pressure hydrogen and enabling cost-competitive zero-emission power for commercial electric vehicles and renewable power grids.
Quantifiable outcome
- Delivers up to 12kW of thermal output for BEV cabin heating
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Proof Energy
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Proof Energy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Proof Energy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Halliburton LabscoreHalliburton Labs accelerator program providing Proof Energy with mentorship, laboratory facilities, industry connections, and global infrastructure to support commercialization of fuel-cell technology for industrial decarbonization.
- Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratorycoreLBNL developed the metallic solid oxide fuel cell technology that Proof Energy is commercializing. This represents the foundational technology behind Proof Energy's M-SOFC products.
- Plug and PlaysupportingTechnology accelerator and innovation platform that Proof Energy partners with for startup ecosystem access and potential customer/partner introductions.
- AemetissupportingRenewable fuels company providing bioethanol fuel supply for Proof Energy's ClearTherm technology, enabling zero-emissions heating solutions for BEVs.
- CSI (Coulomb Solutions Inc.)supportingElectric vehicle and charging solutions company partnering with Proof Energy on complementary technologies for commercial fleet electrification.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Proof Energy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Plug Power: Plug Power is a leading PEM fuel cell and green hydrogen ecosystem player serving material handling and on-road vehicles. It is an adjacent incumbent whose hydrogen build-out trajectory directly affects Proof Energy's fuel-carrier thesis.
- FuelCell Energy: FuelCell Energy is an established stationary fuel cell maker (SOFC and MCFC) for distributed generation, utility-scale power, and carbon capture. It competes broadly with Proof Energy's M-SOFC in industrial decarbonization.
- BorgWarner: BorgWarner supplies battery and cabin heaters for electric vehicles, including high-voltage coolant heaters. It is an established incumbent that competes with ClearTherm in BEV thermal management.
- Ballard Power Systems: Ballard is a long-standing PEM fuel cell manufacturer for heavy-duty mobility (buses, trucks, rail, marine). It competes with Proof Energy's fuel cell products in commercial transportation decarbonization.
- Cummins Accelera: Cummins' Accelera segment is pursuing fuel cell powertrains and battery solutions for commercial vehicles and industrial power. It is a broad incumbent competing across Proof Energy's addressable commercial-decarbonization markets.
Direct peers
- Bloom Energy: Bloom Energy is the leading commercial-scale solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) provider for distributed power generation. It is directly comparable to Proof Energy's M-SOFC platform, addressing the same fuel-flexible stationary power use cases.
- Eberspächer: Eberspächer supplies combustion and electric heaters for commercial vehicles, including BEV thermal management. It competes head-on with ClearTherm for zero/low-emission cabin heating of commercial BEV fleets.
- Advent Technologies: Advent Technologies develops high-temperature proton-exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cells and is active in stationary and transportation fuel cell markets. It competes with Proof Energy's M-SOFC in fuel-flexible fuel cell applications.
- Webasto: Webasto is a major automotive thermal management and HVAC supplier, including EV cabin heaters and coolant-based heating systems. It directly competes with ClearTherm in providing thermal solutions for commercial BEV fleets.
Emerging players
- Hyzon Motors: Hyzon is a hydrogen fuel cell truck developer targeting Class 8 commercial fleets. It overlaps with Proof Energy's commercial transportation decarbonization focus and shares the same fleet-operator buyer.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Proof Energy social profiles
Digital presenceProof Energy compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Proof Energy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Proof Energy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Proof Energy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Proof Energy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Proof Energy
What does Proof Energy do?
Proof Energy designs, manufactures, and commercializes metallic solid oxide fuel cell (M-SOFC) systems and ClearTherm catalytic oxidation heaters for commercial transportation and industrial applications. Its ClearTherm heater delivers up to 12kW of zero-emissions thermal output on bioethanol fuel and serves as a range extender for battery electric vehicles in cold climates, while its M-SOFC stacks run on low-cost hydrogen carrier fuels such as ethanol, methanol, ammonia, and natural gas to displace diesel engines in commercial vehicles and stationary power.
Is Proof Energy a public or private company?
Proof Energy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Proof Energy founded?
Proof Energy was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Proof Energy based?
Proof Energy is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Proof Energy make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fuel Cell Products are the primary driver. The others are clearTherm Heater Sales.
Who are Proof Energy's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Plug Power, FuelCell Energy, BorgWarner, Ballard Power Systems and Cummins Accelera. Direct peers are Bloom Energy, Eberspächer, Advent Technologies and Webasto. Hyzon Motors is listed as an emerging player.
Does Proof Energy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Proof Energy.
What industry is Proof Energy in?
Proof Energy's product category is Fuel Cell and Zero-Emissions Heating Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACALAA, Automotive HVAC Modules & Integrated Climate Units, with a secondary code of IMACALAD, Automotive Thermal Management for Electrified Powertrains (Battery/Inverter/Motor Cooling). Its NAICS code is 333413 and its SIC code is 3585.