Plug Power

Plug Power is a premier provider of Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Solutions that replace conventional batteries in equipment and vehicles powered by electricity. Alpine Power Systems is an approved vendor of Plug Power products. The company is headquartered in Latham, New York, and has facilities in Spokane, Washington. Plug Power's GenDrive system integrates fuel cells manufactured by both Plug Power and Ballard Power and incorporates a hydrogen storage system that allows the system to "recharge" in a matter of minutes as opposed to several hours for lead-acid batteries. It allows hydrogen-powered forklifts to run at a constant steady power compared to conventional batteries, which experience "droop" in their output towards the end of a shift. GenDrive units occupy the same space designed for conventional batteries. Plug Power was founded in 1997 as a joint venture between DTE Energy and Mechanical Technology Inc. The company went public in 2002.