Plug Power to supply fuel cell and fueling technologies to retailer
Plug Power, a leading developer of hydrogen fuel cells based in the U.S., has announced that it has won a contract that calls for the supply of fuel cell systems and associated services to six retail distribution centers located throughout North America. Plug Power has developed fuel cells for materials handling vehicles for some time and these energy systems have become quite popular in various industries. Retailers and other businesses have begun showing support for hydrogen-powered forklift vehicles because of their efficiency and their performance.
Retail distribution centers will be making use to Plug Power fuel cells
Per the contract, Plug Power will supply more than 1,500 hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen fueling systems to the distribution centers over the next two years. The first delivery of these technologies will begin in the second quarter of this year. The retailer behind the contract has not yet been identified, but may be revealed at a later date. The retailer will use the fuel cells provided by Plug Power to power hydrogen-powered materials handling vehicles. The fueling technologies from Plug Power will be used to fuel these vehicles.
Materials handling space continues to show favor for fuel cells over batteries
Forklifts equipped with fuel cells are becoming much more common in the materials handling space now than they ever were in the past. Forklift trucks are commonly equipped with lead acid batteries, but these energy systems are beginning to become outdated as fuel cells continue to become more advanced. Lead acid batteries suffer from limited performance and are notorious for their long recharge times, making them somewhat inefficient. Fuel cells can be fueled very quickly and are capable of operating for longer periods of time than conventional lead acid batteries, making them an attractive alternative.
Fuel cell industry continues to strive for commercial success
The materials handling space has won a great deal of attention from the fuel cells industry. Many companies within the industry are fighting to achieve commercial success, but this has been a slow process and no single company has yet achieved this goal. One of the most significant hurdles that is barring companies from commercial success has to do with the high costs associated with fuel cell production.
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