Mark Hutchinson, FFI CEO, says Gladstone facility will move ahead as planned
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
Also in this section
4 February 2026
Europe’s largest electrolyser manufacturers are losing patience with policymakers as sluggish growth in the green hydrogen sector undermines their decision to expand production capacity
2 February 2026
As a fertiliser feedstock, it is indispensable, but ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free energy carrier is also making it central to global decarbonisation strategies
28 January 2026
The development of hydrogen’s distribution system must speed up if the industry is to stand any chance of grabbing a meaningful slice of the low-carbon energy market
14 January 2026
Continent’s governments must seize the green hydrogen opportunity by refining policies and ramping up the development of supply chains and infrastructure
