Leo Plonsky is Modern's 2009 Productivity Achievement Award winner for Modern Thinking. 

The environmental impact of fossil-based energy use has inspired the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Congress to explore new energy technologies. Because the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a key link in the DoD's supply chains, two years ago it received congressional funding to start looking at the potential for using hydrogen fuel cells at its depots. These depots warehouse and distribute more than 3.6 million of the 5.2 million total items managed by DLA.

Last August, the Defense Distribution Depot in Susquehanna, Pa., embarked on a two-year project with Plug Power and Air Products involving 20 to 40 fuel cell powered forklifts. The goal was to develop a refueling infrastructure to supply delivered hydrogen and to collect the necessary data to do a business case analysis. This facility used battery-powered lift trucks.

The next project, at Defense Distribution Depot in Warner Robins, Ga., is another two-year study involving 20 new fuel cell forklifts. The goal: onsite hydrogen production via natural gas reformation. The project will look into mobile refueling and collect data for a business case analysis. This facility used electric and propane lifts.

Late last year, Defense Distribution Depot in San Joaquin, Calif., began a two-year project involving 20 new fuel cell forklifts. The goal was to look into the potential for creating hydrogen using solar power. This facility used propane-powered lift trucks.

Finally, planning is underway for a two-year project at the U.S. Army's Ft. Lewis, Wash., site to investigate the use of wastewater treatment plant digester gas as the feedstock for fuel cells. A tri-generation unit will produce hydrogen, heat and electricity. The hydrogen created will power 19 fuel cell forklifts in a maintenance environment. This facility currently uses electric-powered forklifts.

The DLA will continue to improve the effectiveness of these projects rather than just replicate them elsewhere. Each pilot will build on the other, getting more sophisticated as we advance the technologies and their applications. Eventually a business case will be available to the public.