Plug Power at The Green Box

Accelerating Green Hydrogen Innovation in the Heart of Europe

Plug Power is putting hydrogen innovation to work at The Green Box, a cleantech campus in Hengelo, Netherlands built to support the energy transition. Here, Plug is testing, developing, and showcasing its industry-leading PEM electrolyzer technology—including fully operational 1 MW and 5 MW ELX systems—in a real-world environment that blends R&D, field training, and customer engagement.

With the European hydrogen market rapidly expanding, The Green Box serves as Plug’s regional innovation hub, giving us the tools, space, and collaboration opportunities needed to power what’s next.

Why The Green Box?

The Green Box offers the kind of infrastructure most hydrogen companies can only dream of.

Strategically located between Plug’s Duisburg and Alphen offices, it provides an ideal base for cross-border work. It sits on a former Eaton site with a 6.3 MW idle grid connection—a rare and valuable resource for high-load testing—and features 18,000+ solar panels that generate around 4 MW of renewable power.

Our office at the site is home to Plug engineers focused on technology development, troubleshooting, and supporting the test facility, making this a hands-on environment for turning ideas into real, working solutions.

First Hydrogen from ELX 5MW

In May 2025, Plug hit a major milestone:
We produced our first batch of green hydrogen from the ELX 5MW electrolyzer running at full load—powered almost entirely by The Green Box’s on-site solar.

Even better? The production took place during periods of negative electricity pricing, meaning Plug earned money while making hydrogen.

This milestone marked the first use of a Nidec transformer rectifier with a Plug system and was completed with smooth startup, flawless operation, and zero disruptions.

Innovation, Collaboration, and Customer Value

Innovation in Action

At The Green Box, Plug operates a real-world testing environment where our electrolyzer systems are showcased through full-scale demonstrations for OEMs, EPCs, industrial gas buyers, and regulatory bodies. Recent visitors have included Galp, Technip, Tata Steel, Sener, and other key industry stakeholders. 

Because our systems run independently, we can host live demos without disrupting any customer activity. The site also supports next-gen development, with Plug testing new sensors, advanced materials, water purification methods, and direct solar integration to make our technology even smarter and more sustainable.

Several of these innovations are already in patent application stages, positioning Plug at the forefront of hydrogen technology advancement.

Let’s put hydrogen to work — together.