Mark Hannifan
About Mark Hannifan
Mark Hannifan serves as the Director of Strategy & Siting for the Project Development Group at Plug Power, where he focuses on green hydrogen production facilities. With a career spanning over four decades in energy and project development, he has held various leadership roles in organizations such as Tradewind Energy and Enel Green Power.
Work at Plug Power
Mark Hannifan serves as the Director of Strategy & Siting within the Project Development Group at Plug Power. He has held this position since 2021, focusing on the strategic planning and geographic prioritization of industrial-scale green hydrogen production facilities across the U.S. and Canada. His responsibilities include overseeing the acquisition of land positions and ensuring the availability of zero-carbon power and water supplies necessary for these facilities. Additionally, he targets the transportation sector and other hard-to-decarbonize industries to utilize the green hydrogen produced at Plug Power.
Previous Experience in Energy Sector
Prior to his role at Plug Power, Mark Hannifan accumulated extensive experience in the energy sector. He worked as Senior Vice President of Development and New Initiatives at Tradewind Energy from 2007 to 2019. His career also includes positions such as Energy Management Specialist at Kansas City Power & Light and Solar Energy Specialist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He was the Director of the Midwest Operations Office at DynCorp International from 1989 to 1996 and served as Senior Project Manager at Burns & McDonnell for a brief period in 2006-2007. Most recently, he was the Senior Vice President and Head of Solar and Green Hydrogen Siting at Enel Green Power from 2019 to 2021.
Education and Expertise
Mark Hannifan has a strong educational background in architecture and environmental design. He earned a Master's degree in Architecture from The University of New Mexico, where he studied from 1977 to 1979. He also holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Design/Architecture from The University of Kansas, which he completed in 1977. His educational foundation supports his expertise in strategic planning and environmental studies, particularly in the context of renewable energy projects.
Founding of Sun Partners International
Mark Hannifan founded Sun Partners International, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding, engineering, and installing solar power systems. The organization focuses on providing solar energy solutions for water pumping, medical clinics, and schools in East Africa and the U.S. This initiative reflects his commitment to advancing renewable energy access and sustainability in underserved regions.