Proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Search documents
Bloom Energy vs. Plug Power: Which One Will Dominate the Next Decade?
The Motley Fool· 2026-01-07 04:21
Core Insights - The total addressable market for green hydrogen could exceed $60 billion by 2030, indicating significant growth potential in the sector [1][4]. Bloom Energy - Bloom Energy focuses on solid-oxide fuel cells and has established partnerships with major enterprises like AT&T, Honda, and Oracle, positioning itself to meet rising energy demands from AI-related applications [2]. - The company reported $519 million in revenue for its latest quarter, reflecting a 57% year-over-year increase, with a gross margin improvement of 5.4 percentage points [3]. - Bloom anticipates doubling its capacity to 2 gigawatts by 2026 to meet growing demand, although failure to achieve this could negatively impact its stock [3]. Plug Power - Plug Power, utilizing proton exchange membrane fuel cells, has a first-mover advantage and collaborates with large companies such as Amazon and Walmart, suggesting a strong market position [4]. - The company has faced challenges, including high cash burn and execution issues, but has shown slight financial improvement with reduced operating losses and increased net revenue [5]. - Plug's electrolyzer business generated $65 million in revenue in the third quarter, indicating a strength within its operations [5]. Investment Outlook - For investors seeking stability and near-term profitability, Bloom Energy presents a more favorable option [6]. - Conversely, Plug Power may offer significant upside potential for those willing to accept higher risks, particularly if the green hydrogen market expands rapidly [6].
Is Plug Power Stock a Buy Right Now?
The Motley Fool· 2025-09-21 12:11
Core Insights - Rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to create favorable conditions for hydrogen stocks, including Plug Power, as companies like Amazon and Alphabet build renewable energy-powered data centers [1][3] - The massive infrastructure buildout for AI could lead to increased adoption of hydrogen fuel, which has historically faced high costs preventing mass-scale adoption [2][6] - Electricity demand from data centers is projected to more than quadruple by 2030, prompting significant shifts in energy creation, storage, and usage [5] Industry Trends - The energy systems are undergoing transformation due to a sustained surge in AI technology demand, with historical growth in energy use by data centers exceeding 12% annually [3] - Technology companies are increasingly required to use renewable energy, leading to the development of private energy generation facilities, as seen with Google's investment in new nuclear sites [4][5] - Hydrogen is positioned as a solution to meet variable energy demands, with the potential to reduce power costs and prevent blackouts [6] Company Analysis - Plug Power aims to supply the AI industry with localized, renewable energy solutions, recognizing the opportunity presented by the growing demand for AI [6] - Despite the potential for hydrogen to power the AI revolution, Plug Power faces challenges due to mounting losses, with net losses of $200 million to $300 million per quarter [8][9] - Heavy share dilution has occurred, nearly doubling the company's total share count over the past three years, which could dilute shareholder gains significantly [9][10]