Liquid hydrogen production facility will extend the company’s service network across the entire East Coast of the U.S.
LATHAM, N.Y — Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a leading provider of hydrogen solutions, today announced plans to build a green hydrogen production plant in Camden County, Georgia, to serve customers across the southeastern United States. The announcement affirms Plug Power’s continued commitment to establish the first North American green hydrogen supply network, as the Camden County plant extends Plug Power’s service coverage across the entire eastern seaboard of the U.S.
The plant will produce 15 tons per day of liquid green hydrogen, produced using 100% renewable energy and intended to fuel transportation applications, including material handling and fuel cell electric vehicle fleets. Plug Power is investing $84 million in the facility, which is expected to create at least 24 jobs in the local community starting in 2022.
As a focal point for Plug Power’s green hydrogen network and the broader U.S. hydrogen economy, Camden County, GA, presents many strategic advantages. With proximity to Interstate 95 (I-95), the main north-south highway on the East Coast of the U.S., the location enables easy access to the region’s commercial and industrial centers, including Plug Power customers like Home Depot and Southern Company.
“With this hydrogen production plant, we are expanding our green hydrogen network to provide zero-emissions fuel to customers in Georgia and across the Southeast,” said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power. “Investing in Camden County is the right choice to support Plug Power’s continued growth.”
Plug Power is working closely with local and state authorities as it moves forward with the project. Plug Power has signed a Purchase Power Agreement with Okefenokee Rural Electric Membership Corporation to source the renewable electricity needed to power the plant. Additionally, the company is entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with Camden County Joint Development Authority for land and local site support. The exact location for the plant and details about construction and job openings will be announced upon finalization later this year.
“We look forward to working with Plug Power and our state and local economic development partners on this exciting project that clearly demonstrates that Kingsland is open for business,” said Kingsland Mayor Dr. C. Grayson Day.
“We are proud to welcome Plug Power to Camden County,” said Executive Director of the Camden County Joint Development Authority James Coughlin. “The Authority was happy to structure a package that is beneficial for the company and the community and we are grateful for the cooperation between our partners; Okefenokee EMC, the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the City of Kingsland. This type of forward-thinking collaboration is what makes projects work in Southeast Georgia.”
Assistant Director Alyce Thornhill represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce division on this project in partnership with the Camden County Joint Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Power, and Okefenokee EMC.
“Having Plug Power expand its footprint to Georgia is exciting news for this growing industry,” said Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) Executive Director Griff Lynch. “The Ports of Savannah and Brunswick provide the capacity needed for auto part imports and auto exports, making the I-95 corridor perfectly suited for this type of development.”
“Georgia is a great place to do business, and because of that, we continue to attract the jobs of the future,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Many thanks to Plug Power for choosing to invest in Georgia, and for helping bolster our green technology ecosystem. Congratulations to our partners in Camden County, and thank you for your efforts to help bring jobs to Georgia that positively impact our economy and our environment.”
The Camden County plant joins previously announced facilities in South Central Pennsylvania and the Western New York Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing (STAMP) Park as key milestones toward Plug Power’s goal of producing over 500 tons per day of hydrogen by 2025. Together with Plug Power’s existing plant in Tennessee, acquired in 2020 as part of its vertical integration strategy, and its PEM stack and electrolyzer Innovation Center in Rochester, NY, this plant further strengthens the company’s position as a leader in advancing the clean hydrogen ecosystem. Plug Power is already the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen globally and has built more hydrogen refueling stations than any other company in the world.
This announcement comes as companies and governments are racing to boost green hydrogen supplies and generation capacity. Experts forecast that green hydrogen will play an essential role in meeting greenhouse gas emissions targets worldwide, particularly in the transportation and logistics sectors. Hence, exponential growth in the hydrogen economy is expected to accelerate, reaching up to 500-800 million tonnes used per year by 2050 and making up 20 percent of global energy demand. Facilities like the Camden County plant are critical for making green hydrogen cost-competitive with fossil fuels and boosting adoption in the coming decade.
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