Plug Power delivered several first-of-its-kind liquid H₂ portable refuelers to transit agencies and trucking fleet customers. Plug’s HL-450D-P is a complete H₂ refueling station on a portable platform that can be quickly and easily deployed to support fleet vehicle H₂ refueling at either 350 bar or 700 bar, with minimal site preparation and needing only a single electrical connection.

The product was designed to reduce infrastructure costs and deployment time for medium-duty and heavy-duty H₂-powered commercial vehicles. Customers for this solution include fleet vehicle operators looking to decarbonize operations, such as mass transit agencies that operate buses, trains, ferries and more, as well as logistics companies and retail distributors.

“Our portable refueler product is a prime example of Plug’s cutting-edge innovation driving cost-effective adoption of H₂ in hard-to-abate sectors like transportation,” said Andy Marsh, Plug CEO. “With minimal upfront costs, mass transit authorities, logistics companies, and retailers can now quickly pop up low-carbon H2 refueling infrastructure to support their fleets.”

Plug’s portable refueler is ideal for initial fleet deployments that require a high performance fueling solution at small scale and delays the need for construction of a permanent fueling station. This quick-to-deploy and reduced cost solution demonstrates the benefit of H₂ fuel cell vehicles (FCEV) compared to battery electric vehicles (BEV) for commercial fleets. Adopting H₂-powered FCEVs can result in up to a 25% increase in payload capacity and cut refueling time by up to 98% over BEVs.

The product includes a 1,500 kilogram (kg) cryogenic liquid storage tank, pumping and vaporization system, and a J2601 compliant dispenser that allows for fueling directly into a FCEV. It also includes onboard telemetry for remote monitoring, ensuring excellent service is maintained. This solution is also easy to re-deploy, eliminating capital risk of trial projects.

The innovation was made possible through Plug’s acquisition of ACT in November 2021, and is manufactured at the manufacturing facility in Houston, TX. The portable fueler has undergone comprehensive process safety analysis and safe operation is guaranteed by factory quality control.

Many organizations in the transportation sector have committed to reducing their carbon emissions. According to a recent report from the Rhodium Group, transportation is the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sector in the United States, increasing emissions by 1.6% in 2023 over the previous year.