- US Senator Charles Schumer of Albany is introducing US legislation to give tax credits to companies which make fuel cells for heavy machinery, according to the Albany Business Review.

Until now, tax credits have been available for fuel cells for cars and trucks but not heavy machinery.

This could assist companies like Plug Power of Latham, Albany, which makes fuel cells for forklifts and recently announced it was cutting around half its workforce, or 117 jobs.

“Fuel cells save energy and help the environment regardless of whether they’re attached to a car or a forklift, and they should be treated equally," Senator Schumer said.

The new legislation expands the definition of a motor vehicle. It should mean a break of $8,000 to $40,000 to purchases of the fuel cells.