A groundbreaking company called Plug Power Inc. just announced that its clean-tech campus in the Netherlands, known as The Green Box, is now fully operational, according to Fuel Cells Works. The site allows the company to demonstrate to potential customers in Europe its ability to produce and transfer hydrogen energy using its innovative GenEco electrolyzer. They can then apply that energy to a variety of industries. 

Even more incredibly, the site is powered primarily by on-site solar panels. This highlights the potential promise of its hydrogen power systems, as it shows how the technology can be both renewable and ultimately much cheaper than traditional power sources. 

Plug Power Inc. also has operational facilities in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana that produce upward of 40 tons of hydrogen per day. Its heavy-hitting customers include Walmart, Amazon, and The Home Depot. 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, hydrogen is a clean fuel that produces only water. It can be used in cars and houses or as an energy carrier, transmitting energy produced from other fuel sources. So when it is coupled with solar power, vast amounts of energy can be created and transferred without environmentally damaging emissions that pollute the air and threaten global health. 

And this is only one of many exciting breakthroughs in clean, renewable energy. For example, a company called sonnen is using its battery technology to create virtual power plants, sharing energy among communities and lessening the strain on overworked energy grids. In China, a new energy storage power plant has demonstrated an innovative way to store power using a semi-solid-state battery system.

There are many ways to encourage the development and growth of clean energy companies. We can elect and lobby our legislators to enact laws and regulations favorable to them. We can also invest in companies that are trying to protect the environment while powering the industries that make the world hum. 

Plug Power Inc. CEO Andy Marsh was enthusiastic about the new developments in Europe. “Establishing a live demonstration site at The Green Box is a key step in supporting our European customers,” Marsh said. Touting the technology, he also said, “We didn’t build GenEco to be the next electrolyzer — we built it to be the last one you need.”

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