Plug Power to Create 1,633 Jobs at New Albany Manufacturing Plant

NY Governor Kathy Hochul attended the groundbreaking for Plug Power’s newest manufacturing facility [photo above], located at the Vista Technology Campus in Slingerlands, a suburb of Albany. The company has committed to creating 1,633 new jobs at its latest Capital Region location, complementing New York State’s push toward clean, renewable and sustainable energy. The new location supports the company’s efforts to significantly expand its line of GenDrive fuel cell systems, which are used to power electric motors in the electric mobility market.

“My administration is committed to the aggressive pursuit of economic development opportunities that align with our nation-leading clean energy goals,” Governor Hochul said. “Our transition to clean energy won’t just help us respond to climate change and lower utility costs, it will supercharge our economic recovery and create good jobs. We are grateful to have Plug Power as a partner in our mission to become the nation’s hub for green energy development.”

This $55 million investment to construct, outfit and equip Plug Power’s new 350,000 square foot plant will be used for expanding production, warehousing and servicing, of the GenDrive line, which offers drop-in fuel cell solutions for existing electric truck fleets. Additionally, the company has committed to creating 1,633 new jobs, and retaining another 701 jobs in Albany County, to support its new green energy production needs. Empire State Development (ESD) has agreed to provide up to $45 million in performance-based Green Excelsior Jobs Tax Credits to encourage the creation and retention of green jobs. In addition, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees will review a power allocation award from NYPA’s low-cost ReCharge NY power program at its public meeting later this month.

CEO of Plug Power Andy Marsh said, “Plug Power is proud to further expand its green hydrogen network with our new manufacturing plant located in New York State’s Albany County, where we were founded 25 years ago. We are grateful that our home state of New York is leading the way on clean, renewable and sustainable energy initiatives, and that Plug Power’s green hydrogen solutions can play such an important role in the state’s comprehensive decarbonization strategy. I’d like to thank our elected officials and partners, including Governor Hochul, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Congressman Paul Tonko, Empire State Development, NYPA and Albany County, for their support in helping us grow our presence in New York and create more than 1,600 new green jobs at our latest Capital Region location.”

Plug Power recently opened its $125 million hydrogen fuel cell innovation center in Monroe County that will create 380 jobs, and has also begun construction on a $290 million, state-of-the-art, green hydrogen fuel production facility and electricity substation at the Western New York Science, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Genesee County. The company, the first tenant at the manufacturing park, is also funding the construction of a 450-megawatt electricity substation on site that will support its hydrogen projection facility and future growth opportunities at STAMP. In 2019, Plug Power announced plans to expand its presence in New York State, investing $3.7 million to establish a Membrane Electrode Assemblies facility in Rochester’s Eastman Business Park, creating more than 80 new jobs.