Episode 66 | Rapid Refueling | Plug Power

My guest, Plug Power, has developed an integrated Hydrogen Fuel Cell infrastructure, delivering hydrogen to central locations and providing the fuel cells to operate the equipment.

One of Plug Power's biggest markets is forklift fleets.  My guest says they can retrofit an existing forklift with a hydrogen fuel cell in less than 30 minutes.

Part of my guest's appeal is the ability to retrofit just about any type of electric vehicle with a Hydrogen Fuel Cell that will fit.

Not just vehicles, Plug Power's hydrogen Fuel Cells can also serve as backup power generators.

In addition to forklifts, Plug Power Hydrogen Fuel Cells have been installed in large fleet vehicles like this FedEx truck.  The truck was delivered without a battery pack, and Plug Power did the rest.

Safety is always a factor, and my guest says hydrogen can be quite safe compared to other fuels.  Plus, H2 is introduced in small-enough doses to be controllable.

My guest this week, Plug Power President & CEO Andy Marsh.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells have a lot of potential. They provide clean, carbon-free energy, they are affordable, high energy density, and can be refueled quickly.

My guest, Plug Power President & CEO Andy Marsh, believes the path to quick Hydrogen Fuel Cell adoption lies in fleets. Since 1997, he says Plug Power has built nearly 90 fuel cell infrastructures. Some of their clients include BMW, Sysco, Walmart, and FedEx.

"If you have large-scale fleets, and you can put hydrogen infrastructure in place, fueling would be cost effective," he says. "The infrastructure for 10 units is often the same as the infrastructure for 150 units."

In the case of warehouses with large fleets of forklifts, Andy says Plug's team can retrofit an existing forklift in less than 30 minutes. They have a wide selection of fuel cells to fit different sizes of vehicles, including large delivery trucks.

In those cases, like FedEx, an electric vehicle is delivered without a conventional lithium-ion battery. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell is then added to the truck.

To refuel, an operator simply pulls the vehicle up to one of Plug Power's stations, usually located inside the warehouse. The dispenser looks a lot like a gas station pump. Andy says third-party handling of this equipment has a lot of safeguards.

"Even if there’s a leakage―which could be much lower than any level of hydrogen that could cause problems―the system would shut down." He also adds that while gasoline pools when spilled, leaking hydrogen immediately dissipates into the atmosphere.

Rather than natural gas reforming, which is how most H2 is made, Andy says they procure most of their hydrogen from "Chlor Alkali waste streams," or captured hydrogen from a plastics plant.

He adds that the hydrogen from this process is liquefied using hydroelectric power. "By 2030, I suspect about 50% of the hydrogen used as fuel will come from traditional green renewable sources," he says, "and ultimately maybe nuclear power plants."

Useful Links:

• Plug Power - Official Website