Asda has partnered with Plug Power to implement hydrogen fuel cell solutions to power the lift truck fleet within its supply chain network.

It includes a purchase order agreement for the solution, starting at its UK facility in Skelmersdale, which includes fuel cells, hydrogen fuelling equipment, hydrogen and service.

The project is part of Asda’s efforts to reduce its reliance on traditional lead acid batteries for power in its material handling fleet and make its operations more environmentally-friendly.

Asda is said to be the first UK retailer to use hydrogen fuel cells to power its material handling equipment, which is expected to reduce the company’s carbon footprint in the area by 80%.

It takes 90 seconds to refuel a hydrogen fuel cell while it takes 15 minutes to swap out a lead battery, in addition to the time it takes to charge them.

Darren Pettener, General Manager at Asda Skelmersdale Distribution Centre said: “Asda is dedicated to being the world’s Most Trusted Retailer and sustainability is a big part of that.

“We’ve seen first-hand what a difference hydrogen fuel cell adoption has made for our parent company. There are good reasons why Walmart, which has been a leader in supply chain innovation for decades, has chosen to build the largest fleet of hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicles in the world. We’re eager to realise the proven environmental and productivity benefits of fuel cell adoption in our operations at Asda.”