Plug Power, a leading provider of hydrogen engines and fueling solutions, has announced the launch of its new high-power stationary hydrogen-powered fuel cell system for commercial electric vehicles (EV) fleets. The company claims that the system combines its 18,000-gallon (81,829 litres) liquid hydrogen tank with its megawatt-scale PEM fuel cell solution, providing over 60MWh of instantaneous energy to charge more than 600 EVs.
The new system is designed to address challenges faced by transport operators who are grappling with grid power capacity restrictions, clean power requirements, and long waiting times for grid infrastructure upgrades. According to a 2020 report by Brattle, an estimated $75-125 billion worth of investments in US grid upgrades would be required to support the projected 20 million EVs on US roads by 2030.
“As EV adoption increases dramatically over the next few years and electricity demand strains the grid, our new high-power fuel cell system will be a game-changer for the EV industry,” said Jose Luis Crespo, General Manager of Applications and Global Accounts for Plug Power. “Customers are approaching Plug for hydrogen power generation options, and we expect this offering to be one of the largest applications for stationary use this year.”
The system promises to be a game-changer for the EV industry, as it can provide cost-effective charging solutions for commercial EV fleets. The new fuel cell system will also help reduce carbon emissions and provide cleaner power for transport operators, thereby reducing their carbon footprint.
This is not the first time that hydrogen players have targeted EV charging. In 2022, Gen Cell Energy, E.V. Motors Pure Energy, and Sun Surplus Energy and Co announced the launch of a joint program to install fuel cells and energy storage technology to provide emissions-free EV charging in Israel.
The new fuel cell system from Plug Power is expected to play a significant role in providing clean power to the EV industry and reducing carbon emissions. As the demand for EVs increases, the need for cost-effective and reliable charging solutions will also increase, and the new fuel cell system promises to meet this demand.