More than 1,600 jobs will be available in Slingerlands at the Vista Technology Campus, at the new Plug Power facility.
Less than a year after groundbreaking, Plug Power's newest manufacturing facility is up and running. The company – which specializes in so-called green hydrogen – says the 350,000-square-foot site in the Town of Bethlehem will help expand Plug Power’s fuel cell systems, used to power electric motors. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sang the praises of the project Thursday.
“This great, great factory cements the Capital Region, as one of the nations and even one of the world's centers for fuel cell manufacturing," Schumer said. "And this is an industry with a great future. This isn't one of these industries that say, well, it's best days are behind us, even when we try to work to keep them here. No, no, no, no, no. This is the future. And what it's going to mean, for the Capital Region, among many other things, is a lot of four letter words. Jobs, jobs, jobs and more jobs. This is great!”
Officials say 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.
"So you know, there's no better place to grow new high tech burgeoning businesses than in upstate New York," Schumer said. "We have a top notch workforce, we have great universities, and we're quickly becoming the Global Center for clean energy, because of investments like this today.”
Plug Power CEO Andy Marsh says the Latham-based company has committed to creating more than 1,600 jobs at the $125 million dollar location, while retaining 700 jobs in Albany County.
“Good blue collar jobs with good pay,” said Marsh.
Governor Kathy Hochul says the new facility represents a new chapter in the green energy revolution and is an example of how New York is meeting its climate and environmental justice goals.
“Incredible to think that you can have fuel cells to power small trucks and forklifts," Hochul said. "Now most of you don't think about small trucks and forklifts every single day. But if you're working inside a warehouse, and you have a fossil fuel generated, forklift, lifting up everything that a forklift does, it makes a difference of how that is powered.”
Hochul says New York has committed $45 million in state tax credits. Marsh is grateful.
“This is a company that is going to change the world and be part of our future,” Marsh said.
As a prelude to cutting a ceremonial ribbon, Hochul dubbed the Slingerlands factory "a huge milestone" for everyone who cares about the future.
“This is for our planet," Hochul said. "This is what's at stake here. And so we'll continue doing this, creating more jobs in our green energy economy. Our jobs grew faster in this economy than any other sector, almost 5%, at a time when others were slowing down. I'm honored to be here, I'm honored to be leading a state that understands the stakes could not be higher for what we're doing today, in places like Plug Power.”
Citing federal programs that boost innovative technology, Schumer says upstate New York's future has never looked better.
“We've announced so many new investments here in the Capital Region with Global Foundries but also across the state," Schumer said. "We want to make New York the center for building the new lithium batteries, and Binghamton is becoming a center for that. Rochester with Plug’s help a center for green hydrogen. Buffalo, a center for new high end tech manufacturing. It's so exhilarating. So exhilarating after years of worrying and suffering, to see the future looks so bright for the Capital Region and for upstate New York. Let's keep fighting. Let's keep having more events like this. Let's hear it for Plug Power!”
