Plug Power ships 65 fuel cells to United Natural Foods

Plug Power Inc., a leader in providing clean, reliable energy solutions, today announces that its GenDrive^(TM) fuel cell units are currently powering a fleet of The Raymond Corporation's electric lift trucks at United Natural Foods, Inc.'s (Nasdaq:UNFI - News) Sarasota, Florida distribution center.

UNFI purchased 65 GenDrive fuel cell units on December 24, 2009. UNFI added 29 new Raymond lift trucks to its fleet, and will retrofit 36 existing Raymond lift trucks to run off the GenDrive fuel cells. The Raymond Corporation, and Authorized Raymond Sales and Service Center Abel Womack, provided fuel cell compatible Raymond Reach-Fork(R) trucks, pallet trucks, orderpickers and counterbalanced lift trucks to UNFI. The GenDrive units, manufactured at Plug Power's Latham, NY, facility shipped in early June.

By powering the lift truck fleet at its 352,000 square-foot distribution center with Plug Power's GenDrive fuel cell units, UNFI made a commitment to adopt a hydrogen economy at its facility. Productivity gains are expected at its Sarasota operation as lift trucks will be able to move product at a faster pace. By using GenDrive, battery droop is also eliminated. Material handling equipment operates at full performance as GenDrive continuously performs like a fully charged battery.

Operational costs at the facility are expected to be reduced from the replacement of UNFI's large battery infrastructure with two compact hydrogen dispensers placed in strategic locations throughout the facility. Operator and truck downtime are also anticipated to decrease as a result of GenDrive units being refueled with hydrogen in less than three minutes.

"Plug Power's GenDrive units deliver a value proposition to customers that will allow them to be more successful then their competitors," said Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power. "UNFI, specifically, can leverage the significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to aid in its culture of social responsibility. The only by-products generated by the hydrogen-powered GenDrive unit are heat and water. For UNFI's Sarasota facility, this is a carbon emission reduction of 132 metric tons annually, an amount equivalent to the annual emissions of 35 automobiles."

Tom Dziki, Senior Vice President of Sustainable Development for UNFI, commented, "This project is a natural extension of our strategy to create a socially responsible environment in all the communities we serve. Hydrogen fuel cells not only provide greater productivity and lower operating costs but will be an important component of a clean energy future and we are happy to be pioneering the use of this technology in Florida. Once implemented, this fuel cell project is expected to create annual energy savings of approximately 640,000 kilowatt hours." The Sarasota facility, which employs approximately 160 associates, serves as a regional distribution hub for customers in the Southeastern United States.

"The close cooperation of The Raymond Corporation and Plug Power, along with Raymond Sales and Service Centers Abel Womack and Raymond Handling Consultants, helped ensure UNFI's lift truck fleet was converted to hydrogen fuel cell-power and ready for operation when it needed it to be," says Frank Devlin, segment manager for fuel cells at The Raymond Corporation.

About Plug Power Inc.

The architects of modern fuel cell technology, Plug Power revolutionized the industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints. Long-standing relationships with industry leaders forged the path for our key accounts, including Wegmans, Whole Foods, and FedEx Freight. With more than 1,000 units in the field and over 1.5 million hours of runtime, Plug Power manufactures tomorrow's incumbent power solutions today. Visit us at www.plugpower.com.