Plug Power Inc. has announced the shipment of a 1 MW GenEco PEM electrolyzer to HWR Hydrogen, a division of H.W. Richardson Group Limited, marking another step in the American hydrogen technology company's expanding footprint across New Zealand and Australia.

Electrolyzer to Power Dual-Fuel Heavy Transport Fleet

The unit is destined for HWR Hydrogen's refueling station in Invercargill, on New Zealand's South Island, where it will produce hydrogen on-site to support a fleet of dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel heavy trucks.

Those vehicles use systems built by Change Fuel Technologies, which is also a division of the H.W. Richardson Group and develops hydrogen-diesel dual-fuel retrofits for existing diesel engines.

Gareth Wishart, General Manager of Technology and Innovation at HWR, described the initial purpose of the installation as supplying hydrogen for Change Fuel Technologies-built dual-fuel trucks operated by HWR and other customers across the Southland region.

He added that the station is also being designed to accommodate OEM-supplied hydrogen vehicles as they become available to HWR companies and the broader industry.

"Bringing Plug equipment and capabilities to Invercargill is about proving out a model we can extend across the South Island as adoption grows," Wishart said.

Building Out New Zealand's Hydrogen Infrastructure

The Invercargill project adds to Plug Power's existing presence in New Zealand. The company's electrolyzer technology is already deployed in support of Hiringa Energy's green hydrogen refueling network in the country.

The HWR deployment is positioned as a further contribution to New Zealand's emerging hydrogen ecosystem, where locally produced hydrogen is being directed toward emissions reduction in heavy transport and other sectors considered difficult to decarbonize.

Plug Power, headquartered in Slingerlands, New York, and listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker PLUG, describes itself as a first mover in the hydrogen industry with electrolyzers operating across five continents.

The company also operates its own hydrogen generation network in the United States, with production facilities in Georgia, Tennessee, and Louisiana representing a combined capacity of approximately 40 tons per day.

Australia Deployment Also in Progress

The New Zealand shipment accompanies a significantly larger commitment in Australia. Plug Power was selected to supply a 50 MW GenEco PEM electrolyzer system for Orica's Hunter Valley Hydrogen Hub, which the company describes as the largest renewable hydrogen project in Australia to reach a final investment decision. That project is expected to produce approximately 4,700 metric tons of renewable hydrogen annually.

Together, the two deployments illustrate the range of scales at which Plug Power is pursuing hydrogen projects across the region, from the 1 MW distributed production system serving a single refueling station and local fleet in Southland to a 50 MW industrial installation in New South Wales.

Plug Power CEO Frames Regional Strategy

José Luis Crespo, CEO of Plug Power, framed the HWR project as emblematic of the company's broader approach to the Australasian market. "What's important about this project isn't simply the size of the electrolyzer.

It's what it represents," Crespo said. "Plug is building a strong presence alongside this emerging market, with the technology and experience to support projects at every scale. As hydrogen adoption grows across New Zealand and Australia, we're positioned to grow with it."

The company's stated position is that it can serve hydrogen projects ranging from distributed production meeting local demand to major industrial applications requiring hundreds of megawatts of electrolyzer capacity.

About HWR Hydrogen and H.W. Richardson Group

H.W. Richardson Group is described as one of New Zealand's largest privately owned transport companies. Headquartered in Invercargill and family owned, the group operates across transport, petroleum, ready-mixed concrete, contracting, quarrying, and technology services in New Zealand and Australia.

HWR Hydrogen, the division receiving the Plug electrolyzer, is focused on producing hydrogen for industry and developing local production and refueling infrastructure to serve both HWR's own businesses and external customers.

Change Fuel Technologies, the affiliated company building the dual-fuel systems being powered by the new electrolyzer's output, develops retrofit hydrogen-diesel systems designed to reduce emissions from existing heavy transport vehicles without requiring full vehicle replacement.

Plug Power's Broader Footprint

Beyond the Australasian region, Plug Power reports more than 76,000 GenDrive fuel cell systems deployed to date, along with more than 280 hydrogen-powered material handling sites. The company counts Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, BMW, and BP among its global customers.

The GenEco electrolyzer line spans multiple continents, and the company maintains manufacturing facilities in multiple countries. The Invercargill installation, once complete, will represent the latest addition to that deployed base as New Zealand's hydrogen sector continues to transition from pilot projects toward operational infrastructure.

New Zealand's Hydrogen Economy Is Moving Fast. Is Your Intelligence Keeping Up?

Across New Zealand, hydrogen projects are advancing at a pace that leaves little room for delayed decisions or incomplete market pictures. From green hydrogen corridors to electrolyzer deployments in New Zealand, the window to position your business strategically is narrowing with every tender published and every contract awarded.

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To see how the Global Project Tracking (GPT) platform by Blackridge Research can sharpen your hydrogen market strategy across New Zealand, contact our team today and book a free demo.