New York-based Plug Power Inc. has announced an expansion contract with Walmart Canada to provide 124 GenDrive fuel cells for electric lift trucks to be used at Walmart's new High Velocity Distribution Center building in Balzac, Alberta. This expansion adds on to the fleet in operation since 2010 and brings the GenDrive total upward of 230 units at the site.
According to Plug Power, GenDrive hydrogen fuel cells offer customers increased productivity from their lift truck fleets in comparison to lead-acid batteries and provide constant and consistent power to the trucks, eliminating the need to change and charge batteries.
Walmart Canada will also receive GenFuel infrastructure to support the Balzac distribution center. Plug Power says its proprietary GenFuel system provides advanced diagnostics to help customers monitor fleet fueling and operational metrics. This GenFuel system will support two buildings: the new High Velocity Distribution Center and the existing Perishable Distribution Center. Plug Power highlights that this is the first GenFuel installation in Canada.
‘Plug Power values Walmart Canada as a client and strives to help them further their productivity improvements through the use of our hydrogen and fuel cell products,’ comments Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power.
Plug Power says it has an extensive tenure with Walmart. In the U.S., Plug Power has deployed more than 1,800 GenDrive units since the relationship began in 2007. By the end of the second quarter, Walmart will be using Plug Power hydrogen fuel cells in eight distribution centers, all of which are utilizing Plug Power's GenFuel system. Additionally, Plug Power says it has supported Walmart Canada with hydrogen fuel cells since 2010.
