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Nature of Operations
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Nature of Operations  
Nature of Operations

1. Nature of Operations

Description of Business

Plug is facilitating the paradigm shift to an increasingly electrified world by innovating cutting-edge hydrogen and fuel cell solutions.

While we continue to develop commercially viable hydrogen and fuel cell product solutions, we have expanded our offerings to support a variety of commercial operations that can be powered with clean hydrogen. We provide electrolyzers that allow customers — such as refineries, producers of chemicals, steel, fertilizer and commercial refueling stations — to generate hydrogen on-site. We are focusing our efforts on (a) industrial mobility applications, including electric forklifts and electric industrial vehicles, at multi-shift high volume manufacturing and high throughput distribution sites where we believe our products and services provide a unique combination of productivity, flexibility, and environmental benefits; (b) production of hydrogen; and (c) stationary power systems that will support critical operations, such as data centers, microgrids, and generation facilities, in either a backup power or continuous power role, and replace batteries, diesel generators or the grid for telecommunication logistics, transportation, and utility customers. Plug expects to support these products and customers with an ecosystem of vertically integrated products that produce, transport, store and handle, dispense, and use hydrogen for mobility and power applications.

Our current product and service portfolio includes:

GenDrive: GenDrive is our hydrogen fueled PEM fuel cell system, providing power to material handling EVs, including Class 1, 2, 3 and 6 electric forklifts, automated guided vehicles, and ground support equipment.

GenSure: GenSure is our stationary fuel cell solution providing scalable, modular PEM fuel cell power to support the backup and grid-support power requirements of the telecommunications, transportation, and utility sectors; our GenSure High Power Fuel Cell Platform supports large scale stationary power and data center markets.

Progen: Progen is our fuel cell stack and engine technology currently used globally in mobility and stationary fuel cell systems, and as engines in electric delivery vans. This includes Plug’s membrane electrode assembly (“MEA”), a critical component of the fuel cell stack used in zero-emission fuel cell EV engines.

GenFuel: GenFuel is our liquid hydrogen fueling, delivery, generation, storage, and dispensing system.

GenCare: GenCare is our ongoing “Internet of Things”-based maintenance and on-site service program for GenDrive fuel cell systems, GenSure fuel cell systems, GenFuel hydrogen storage and dispensing products and Progen fuel cell engines.

GenKey: GenKey is our vertically integrated “turn-key” solution combining either GenDrive or GenSure fuel cell power with GenFuel fuel and GenCare aftermarket service, offering complete simplicity to customers transitioning to fuel cell power.

Electrolyzers: The design and implementation of 5MW and 10MW electrolyzer systems that are modular, scalable hydrogen generators optimized for clean hydrogen production. Electrolyzers generate hydrogen from water using electricity and a special membrane and “green” hydrogen is generated by using renewable energy inputs, such as solar or wind power.

Liquefaction Systems: Plug’s 15 ton-per-day and 30 ton-per-day liquefiers are engineered for high efficiency, reliability, and operational flexibility — providing consistent liquid hydrogen to customers. This design increases plant reliability and availability while minimizing parasitic losses like heat leak and seal gas losses. 

Cryogenic Equipment: Engineered equipment including trailers and mobile storage equipment for the distribution of liquified hydrogen, oxygen, argon, nitrogen and other cryogenic gases.

Liquid Hydrogen: Liquid hydrogen provides an efficient fuel alternative to fossil-based energy. We produce liquid hydrogen through our electrolyzer systems and liquefaction systems. Liquid hydrogen supply will be used by customers in material handling operations, fuel cell electric vehicle fleets, and stationary power applications.

We provide our products and solutions worldwide through our direct sales force, and by leveraging relationships with original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) and their dealer networks. Plug is currently targeting Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East and North America for expansion in adoption. The European Union (the “EU”) has rolled out ambitious targets for the hydrogen economy, with the United Kingdom also taking steps in this direction, and Plug is seeking to execute on our strategy to become one of the European leaders in the hydrogen economy. This includes a targeted account strategy for material handling, securing strategic partnerships with European OEMs, energy companies, utility leaders and accelerating our electrolyzer business.

In addition, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Plug Power LA JV, LLC, created a joint venture with Niloco Hydrogen Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Olin, named “Hidrogenii” in the third quarter of 2022. We believe Hidrogenii will support reliability of supply and speed to market for hydrogen throughout North America, and set the foundation for broader collaboration between Plug and Olin. Hidrogenii began the construction of a 15-ton-per-day hydrogen plant in St. Gabriel, Louisiana. Hidrogenii is owned 50% by Plug Power LA JV, LLC and 50% by Niloco Hydrogen Holdings LLC.

Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Plug Power France, entered into a joint venture with Renault named HyVia, a French société par actions simplifiée (“HyVia”) in the second quarter of 2021. HyVia plans to manufacture and sell fuel cell powered electric light commercial vehicles (“FCE-LCVs”) and to supply hydrogen fuel and fueling stations to support the FCE-LCV market, in each case primarily in Europe. HyVia has received funding and is owned 50% by Plug Power France and 50% by Renault.

Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Plug Power España S.L. (“Plug Power Spain”), entered into a joint venture with Acciona, named AccionaPlug S.L., in the fourth quarter of 2021. The joint venture intends to develop clean hydrogen projects in Spain and Portugal. AccionaPlug S.L. has received funding and is owned 50% by Plug Power Spain and 50% by Acciona.

Plug Power Inc. entered into a joint venture with SK E&S named SK Plug Hyverse, which was initially funded in the first quarter of 2022. SK Plug Hyverse seeks to accelerate the use of hydrogen as an alternative energy source in selected Asian markets. This collaboration aims to provide hydrogen fuel cell systems, hydrogen fueling stations, electrolyzers and clean hydrogen to the Korean and other selected Asian markets. The partnership will leverage SK E&S’s leadership in chemicals, petroleum and energy as well as Plug’s leading hydrogen platform. This joint venture is owned 49% by Plug Power Inc. and 51% by SK E&S.

Plug Power Inc. has also invested in a hydrogen infrastructure and growth equity fund, Clean H2 Infra Fund, a special limited partnership registered in France, since the fourth quarter of 2021. The Clean H2 Infra Fund is focused on clean hydrogen infrastructure through financing projects in the production, storage and distribution of clean hydrogen. As of December 31, 2023 the Company’s ownership percentage in the Clean H2 Infra Fund was approximately 5%.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company has continued to experience negative cash flows from operations and net losses. The Company incurred net losses of approximately $1.4 billion, $724.0 million and $460.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Company’s working capital was $822.2 million at December 31, 2023, which included unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $135.0 million and restricted cash of $1.0 billion. The Company plans to invest a portion of its available cash to expand its current production and manufacturing capacity, construct hydrogen plants, and invest in capital projects. At the time of the issuance of the Company’s 2023 third quarter Form 10-Q, conditions existed that raised substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. As disclosed in Note 24, “Subsequent Events”, on January 17, 2024, the Company entered into the At Market Issuance Sales Agreement (the “Original ATM Agreement”) with B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“B. Riley”), pursuant to which the Company may, from time to time, offer and sell through or to B. Riley, as sales agent or principal, shares of the Company’s common stock, having an aggregate offering price of

up to $1.0 billion. As of February 23, 2024, the Company had offered and sold 77,417,069 shares of common stock having an aggregate offering price of approximately $302.1 million under the Original ATM Agreement. On February 23, 2024, the Company and B. Riley entered into Amendment No. 1 to the Original ATM Agreement (the “Amendment” and, together with the Original ATM Agreement, the “ATM Agreement”) to increase the aggregate offering price of shares of the Company’s common stock available for future issuance under the Original ATM Agreement to $1.0 billion. Under the ATM Agreement, for a period of 18 months, the Company has the right at its sole discretion to direct B. Riley to act on a principal basis and purchase directly from the Company up to $11.0 million of shares of its common stock on any trading day (the “Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount”) and up to $55.0 million of shares in any calendar week (the “Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount Cap”). On and after June 1, 2024, so long as the Company’s market capitalization is no less than $1.0 billion, the Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount will remain $11.0 million and the Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount Cap will remain $55.0 million. If the Company’s market capitalization is less than $1.0 billion on and after June 1, 2024, the Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount will be decreased to $10.0 million and the Maximum Commitment Advance Purchase Amount Cap will be decreased to $30.0 million. The Company believes that its working capital and cash position, together with its right to direct B. Riley to purchase shares directly from the Company under the ATM Agreement, will be sufficient to fund its on-going operations for a period of at least 12 months subsequent to the issuance of the accompanying consolidated financial statements and, as a result, substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern no longer exists.