Amazon intends to manufacture hydrogen fuel at its fulfillment centers, teaming up with Plug Power, a hydrogen company, to set up the inaugural electrolyzer in a Colorado-based fulfillment center in the US. This one-megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyzer marks Amazon's debut and is generating eco-friendly hydrogen to power over 225 forklift trucks running on hydrogen fuel cells at the location.
Amazon's Director of Global Hydrogen Economy, Asad Jafry, highlighted the significance of hydrogen in their mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 in alignment with The Climate Pledge. Expressing enthusiasm about their collaboration with Plug, Jafry emphasized the potential of on-site hydrogen production at Amazon facilities, foreseeing enhanced energy efficiency in specific locations and facility types.
The 1MW electrolyzer from Plug, functioning on electricity and water to generate hydrogen, can support around 400 hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift trucks. The produced hydrogen will undergo compression on-site and be stored in a gaseous hydrogen storage tank for utilization by the forklift trucks.
Plug CEO Andy Marsh acknowledged Amazon's recognition of hydrogen's pivotal role in the energy landscape. He highlighted this project as a testament to Plug's comprehensive expertise across the hydrogen value chain, showcasing their capability to develop end-to-end solutions for their clientele.
Marsh highlighted Plug's collaboration with Amazon, having already deployed over 17,000 fuel cells in replacing batteries for forklifts across 80+ fulfillment centers in North America. Typically, hydrogen for these sites is sourced externally, liquefied, and transported via trucks to an on-site storage and dispensing system.