Green Hydrogen-Powered Forklifts Drive Industrial Decarbonization in Brazil

On September 5, 2025, US-based Plug Power teamed up with Brazil’s own GH2 Global in a game-changing alliance to roll out green hydrogen-powered gear across the country. They’re zeroing in on forklifts and warehouse vehicles that currently guzzle diesel, LNG or old-school lead-acid batteries. By switching to hydrogen fuel cells, operators can slash greenhouse gas emissions, cut downtime and kick off a major push toward industrial decarbonization in Latin America’s biggest economy.

Partnership Blueprint

This venture pairs Plug Power’s global clout in hydrogen solutions with GH2 Global’s on-the-ground smarts in Brazil’s logistics scene. Together they’ll deliver turnkey packages—everything from site design and safety training to refueling stations and ongoing maintenance—directly to warehouses and industrial yards. The first pilots will hit Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo, where a few hundred forklifts are slated for conversion over the next year. If those go smoothly, the plan is to expand into the Northeast and Central-West, riding the wave of new wind and solar projects coming online.

GH2 Global has already cut its teeth installing fuel cell systems at key logistics hubs, so they’ve navigated local permits and grid hookups before. By pooling decades of engineering chops and market know-how, the partners aim to streamline each project, tick every regulatory box and build a scalable hydrogen infrastructure from scratch.

Technical Foundation

At the heart of this push are advanced hydrogen fuel cell systems and state-of-the-art green hydrogen production units. Simply put, fuel cells generate electricity when hydrogen splits into protons and electrons and then reunites with oxygen—giving you power, heat and nothing but water vapor. Refills take under five minutes—light-years ahead of battery charging—and these stacks are engineered for over 8,000 hours of continuous operation, chopping maintenance downtime and improving total cost of ownership.

Just look at Plug Power’s setup in Chile: a solar-and-wind-fed site runs electrolyzers to top off forklifts at a large retailer’s distribution center. It handles more than 18,000 hydrogen refuelings every day and consumes almost 20 tons of hydrogen, proving electrolysis at scale is rock solid.

On the production side, modular electrolyzers (0.5–2 MW) link up seamlessly with intermittent renewables, pumping pressurized hydrogen into buffer tanks. Smart controls juggle output to match on-site demand and even offer grid services like peak shaving—unlocking extra revenue and bolstering local energy security.

Strategic Impact

Brazil’s been betting on hydrogen since it kicked off the National Hydrogen Program (PNH2) in 2021. That initiative dishes out tax breaks, public funding and green finance tools to spark a homegrown hydrogen industry—and it’s forging partnerships with leaders like Germany and the US to speed up technology transfer.

On the financial side, Plug Power posted $174 million in Q2 2025 revenue, thanks to rising demand and fresh contracts. Meanwhile, GH2 Global’s strong ties with regional shippers and heavy industry have smoothed their market entry. They’re finalizing deployment incentives—think grants and subsidies—with pre-approvals expected by year-end.

GH2 Global’s in-house engineers recently commissioned a pilot electrolyzer for a Brazilian retailer, delivering rapid setup and seamless refueling. Scaling those proven models will be key to driving down unit costs and reaching more customers across multiple states.

Industry watchers note that rolling out hydrogen forklifts at scale could shake up Brazil’s energy mix, cut reliance on imports and create an end-to-end supply chain—from green hydrogen production to final use—all within national borders. Get it right here, and Brazil could emerge as a heavyweight in the global green hydrogen arena.

Market Deployment & Forward Look

In the early pilot zones, operators are zeroing in on hard numbers: longer equipment uptime, rock-solid power and lower life-cycle costs versus lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries. Sure, the initial price tag is heftier, but fast refueling and minimal upkeep tend to even out the books over a forklift’s lifetime.

This push also creates skilled jobs in commissioning, safety management and diagnostics. Local technicians will learn hydrogen handling standards, high-pressure gas systems and fuel cell maintenance—skills that will translate to heavy-duty transport and stationary backup power down the road.

Brazil’s renewable mix—hydropower in the south, coastal wind farms and expanding solar in the interior—will feed growing electrolyzer capacity. As the hydrogen infrastructure expands, we’ll see the technology leap into heavy-duty trucks and even maritime vessels, amplifying the decarbonization effect.

Of course, challenges remain. Early adopters face steep upfront costs for fueling stations and electrolyzers, plus the job of wiring up a nationwide distribution network. Educating the market is crucial—operators need confidence in hydrogen safety, and everyone needs common standards for storage, transport and uptime assurance. Teaming up with regulators and industry groups will be essential to smooth the path forward.

By combining proven tech with a supportive policy backdrop and rising renewable capacity, the Plug Power–GH2 Global alliance is set to raise the bar for industrial decarbonization. From pilots in Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo to a rollout across Brazil, this project highlights green hydrogen as more than just an alternative fuel—it’s a strategic lever in shaping a truly sustainable energy future. And if they nail material handling, expect a ripple effect into long-haul trucking and beyond, showcasing hydrogen’s energy density and positioning Brazil as a clean hydrogen exporter.