Plug Power Inc., a globally leading supplier of complete hydrogen solutions for the green hydrogen economy, has commissioned the largest plant for liquid green hydrogen in the US market.
This is also the largest electrolysis plant for the production of liquid hydrogen and the largest PEM electrolyser in the United States. It is a pioneering step in the building of a vertically integrated hydrogen ecosystem. The plant contains the electrolyser technology proprietary to Plug, and demonstrates first-hand its reliability in the production of sustainable sources of energy.
The plant in Woodbine, Georgia, is designed to produce 15 tonnes of liquid hydrogen per day (TPD) – enough to operate approximately 15,000 fork lifters per day. Inside eight 5-Megawatt (MW) PEM electrolysers, water is separated into hydrogen and oxygen. The gaseous hydrogen is then liquefied at ‑253 degrees Celsius and transported to the hydrogen stations of the recipients through the Plug logistic network, which uses Plug-owned cryotank trucks.
This new plant will increase Plug’s capacity to supply liquid hydrogen. Right now, this is delivered to Plug customers to operate applications that transport material, pools of electric vehicles powered by fuel cells, as well as stationary power generators. Expectations are that the production of liquid hydrogen, on top of the current production of gaseous hydrogen, will have a sensible effect on the business goals of Plug, and will herald a significant step towards increasing profits from fuels.
Plug already completed the plant within 18 months, at more than twice the speed for standard industrial hydrogen plants, which is approximately three years. The location of the site with a close connection to the interstate routes I-95 and I-10 offers easy access to commercial and industrial urban centres, including Plug Pedestal customers in the entire United States.
By adding liquid green hydrogen to their production capacities, along with production systems for electrolysers, fuel cells and cryogens, Plug is able to further force the establishment of a vertically integrated ecosystem for green hydrogen. This ecosystem makes it possible for the same company to produce, liquefy, store and transport hydrogen from a single source. The ongoing expansion of the global hydrogen network of Plug allows customers to seamlessly integrate hydrogen into their operative processes, even if these span several industries.
There has been a sharp rise in the demand for hydrogen, as it is one of only few low-carbon to carbon-free energy sources for industry sectors that are hard to decarbonise, like heavy transport, heavy industry (steel, cement, aluminium, chemical), stationary generation of electricity, and aviation. Further, the politics supporting hydrogen both in Europe and in the USA have made green hydrogen more attractive in the economic sense.
“We have reached a milestone for Plug and the entire hydrogen ecosystem”, says Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power. “Commissioning this green hydrogen plant demonstrates that we are the leading producer of global hydrogen infrastructure and that we support our customers in decarbonising their business.”
For over a year, the company has been maintaining a pilot system for gaseous hydrogen in Georgia, which uses the 5 MW electrolyser platform by Plug. This is where Plug fills high pressure vats on tractor trucks which deliver the hydrogen to Plug itself or to customers, exactly where it is needed. The company is undertaking serious efforts for further plants in the USA, including plants in the states of Louisiana, New York and Texas.
