Plug Power Inc., a provider of comprehensive hydrogen solutions, has announced the deployment of its GenDrive hydrogen fuel cell systems and GenFuel hydrogen infrastructure at Floor & Decor’s Frederickson, WA distribution centre. This partnership marks the first implementation of a zero-emission material handling fleet for a specialty retailer of hard-surface flooring.
Plug has equipped Floor & Decor’s Frederickson facility with a complete hydrogen ecosystem, powering 77 pieces of material handling equipment with Plug’s end-to-end hydrogen infrastructure. This includes a 10 000-gallon liquid hydrogen storage tank, vapourisers, compressors, and a high-capacity dispensing system designed for high-throughput operations.
Plug’s hydrogen fuel cell technology will help Floor & Decor eliminate more than 400 tpy of CO2e emissions at the Frederickson distribution centre – the equivalent of avoiding burning roughly 45 000 gallons of gasoline. In addition to emissions reduction, the system produces only water vapour as a byproduct, which Floor & Decor captures and reuses for facility operations such as floor scrubbers. Based on current dispenser data, the system generates approximately 300 l – or about 80 gallons – of water per day for recapture.
“This partnership with Floor & Decor showcases the proven reliability and performance of our GenDrive systems in demanding retail distribution environments,” said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug. “Our end-to-end hydrogen solutions help support Floor & Decor’s dedication to operational efficiency, exactly what our technology is designed to deliver.”
The success at the Frederickson site also opens the door to expanded hydrogen infrastructure, Plug’s hydrogen system also offers off-grid capabilities, enhancing energy resilience during power outages and periods of grid instability, while Plug's modular infrastructure is designed to scale easily as Floor & Decor's operations grow. This partnership reinforces Plug Power's leadership in the material handling market and demonstrates how retailers can use Plug's hydrogen technology to achieve both sustainability and operational performance goals.