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Plug Power to build major green-hydrogen production facility in California

| By Mary Bailey

Plug Power (Latham, N.Y.) is expanding its green hydrogen ecosystem to the U.S. west coast with the construction of a new state-of-the-art production facility in Fresno County, California. Green hydrogen is produced through the electrolysis of water with electricity generated from zero-carbon sources and only harmless oxygen is emitted during the process.

As the largest green hydrogen production facility on the west coast, the plant will produce 30 metric tons of liquid green hydrogen daily, serving customers from San Diego to Vancouver. The facility will use a new 300 megawatt zero-carbon solar farm to power 120 megawatts of Plug Power’s state-of-the-art PEM electrolyzers, which split water into hydrogen and oxygen through an electro-chemical process. 

The California plant joins the company’s growing national network of plants in New York, Tennessee, and Georgia that will supply 500 tons per day of liquid green hydrogen by 2025, replacing 4.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and 1,000 tons per day globally by 2028.

When fully built, the network of plants in the U.S. will offer transportation fuel to customers that is price-competitive with diesel. Plug Power’s investment in green hydrogen production will contribute to decarbonizing light-duty vehicles, freight-transportation, and logistics operations, and supports California’s leading role in developing hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel.

The project includes construction of a new tertiary wastewater treatment plant in the city of Mendota that will provide recycled water for the people of Mendota and supply the full needs of the plant.

Pending environmental and construction permitting approvals, the plant will break ground in early 2023 and complete commissioning in early 2024.

“Plug Power is fully committed to a green hydrogen future and is investing heavily in building a green hydrogen ecosystem to support our customers’ efforts to achieve their sustainability goals,” said Andy Marsh, CEO for Plug Power. “California is leading the world in the adoption of green hydrogen and renewable energy. Plug Power is proud to be a part of that transition and to support the state’s continued leadership.”

“This project showcases what can happen when market pull, innovation and public policy intersect – privately financed, large scale, zero-carbon hydrogen transportation fuel that creates jobs in a key region: Fresno County,” said Dee Dee Myers, Senior Advisor to Governor Newsom and Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “We commend Plug Power for investing in a clean, sustainable future in California and beyond.”

“Plug Power has a long-standing commitment to fuel cell technology. With this project, they are taking an innovative, sustainable and low-impact approach to provide instate renewable hydrogen,” said CARB Executive Officer Richard W. Corey. “This will help support the state’s target of carbon neutrality by 2045 or sooner, and continue to transition the transportation sector out of petroleum, including trucks that carry freight and cargo. That will benefit our most impacted communities including those located near ports, rail yards, and distribution centers.”

“The project is a huge win for the City of Mendota, and we are very happy to see this significant investment in clean energy in our community,” said Mendota Mayor, Rolando Castro. “This green-hydrogen plant will provide full time high-paying jobs for our people. The city will also get a new wastewater treatment plant to provide recycled water for the city and all the needs of the hydrogen plant.”

“The hydrogen plant will create higher wage job opportunities for residents and offer the City of Mendota recycled water that can be used in parks and other areas, relieving the city of additional groundwater pumping and worsening overdraft,” said Supervisor Brian Pacheco, District 1.

“Green hydrogen represents the energy of the future and with this major announcement, Fresno County will soon plant its flag as the strategic center for California’s hydrogen economy. This project is poetic justice for our region, which has struggled with persistent poor air quality, and will produce the zero-emission fuel needed to support the state’s renewable energy goals. We are proud to have worked alongside Plug Power representatives, GO-Biz, the County of Fresno, the City of Mendota and our Westside cities in supporting the catalytic investments Plug Power’s hydrogen production facility stands to create.” Lee Ann Eager, President/CEO, Fresno County Economic Development Corporation