Plug walks away from FFI’s Gladstone gigafactory

Australian developer will manufacture in-house technology instead, as Plug argues it can get better value elsewhere

US green hydrogen technology firm Plug Power has confirmed it will no longer partner with Australia’s Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) on its 2GW/yr electrolyser manufacturing facility in Gladstone. “We decided we did not want to build a factory with them because we saw the economics; we could do better,” Plug CEO Andy Marsh explained on a recent analyst call. “So we really did not think that was worthwhile to move ahead.” FFI CEO Mark Hutchinson argues the firm has been developing its own proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) and alkaline electrolyser technology and is well-positioned to take the Gladstone facility forward on its own. “Plug Power is very much locked into a certain technology and