Amazon activates Plug Power electrolyzer for warehouse forklift hydrogen

Plug Power activated a one-megawatt PEM electrolyzer at an Amazon fulfilment center in Aurora, Colorado, producing on-site low-carbon hydrogen for over 225 fuel-cell forklift trucks. The deployment demonstrates on-site green hydrogen for logistics, a model relevant to Indian warehousing and industrial operators evaluating hydrogen for materials handling.

Plug Power activated a one-megawatt proton exchange membrane electrolyzer at Amazon's DEN8 fulfilment center in Aurora, Colorado, Amazon's first such system, producing low-carbon hydrogen from electricity and water to power over 225 hydrogen fuel-cell forklift trucks, with capacity to support up to 400. The hydrogen is compressed on-site and stored in a gaseous storage tank. Plug provided design, installation, commissioning and maintenance for the electrolyzer and storage, compatible with existing refuelling infrastructure and fuel cells at the site, marking the first electrolyzer operational at an Amazon facility.

The deployment affects Amazon's logistics operations, building on a partnership in which Plug has deployed over 17,000 fuel cells replacing forklift batteries across more than 80 North American fulfilment centers. Previously hydrogen was produced elsewhere, liquefied and trucked to on-site storage; on-site production avoids transport emissions where surplus renewable electricity is available. The model is most relevant to warehousing, distribution and industrial operators with large materials-handling fleets seeking to decarbonize forklift operations and reduce reliance on trucked-in hydrogen supply.

Warehousing and industrial operators should monitor the economics of on-site electrolytic hydrogen versus trucked-in supply, particularly at sites with surplus renewable electricity where avoided transport emissions improve efficiency. Indian logistics and fulfilment operators exploring hydrogen for materials handling can track Plug's end-to-end model spanning design, installation and maintenance. Stakeholders should watch whether on-site production scales toward the electrolyzer's 400-forklift capacity and supports Amazon's stated goal to decarbonize operations by 2040 under The Climate Pledge.

Key figure — Electrolyzer capacity: one megawatt powering up to 400 forklifts