Engineering news
The Lower Thames Crossing between Kent and Essex will use 2,500 tonnes of the zero-emission fuel, the organisation said on Monday (23 February), which it claims is the largest amount ever produced for a British construction project.
Designed to reduce congestion on the Dartford Crossing bridge and tunnels, the new 14.3-mile (23km) road will include two 2.6-mile (4.2km) tunnels under the Thames, the longest road tunnels in the UK. It will be the “first major British infrastructure project to be carbon neutral in construction”, National Highways said.
Green hydrogen supplied by Newcastle firm GeoPura will have a key role to play. The fuel emits only water when used in fuel cells, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting air quality.
Six hydrogen-powered generators provided by GeoPura are already at work, charging batteries used in electric machinery on a work site in Essex. The project was the first to use a hydrogen-fuelled, British-made JCB digger, which was used to carry out survey work on the project in Kent last year.
“Today, we’ve given the green light to green hydrogen,” said Matt Palmer, executive director for the Lower Thames Crossing, earlier this week. “By replacing diesel with home-grown hydrogen, we’re not only reducing our own carbon footprint but also helping clean up the construction sector. National Highways is supporting new jobs and skills that will put British businesses and people at the forefront of the growing clean energy sector.”
Founded in 2019, GeoPura produces green hydrogen at several locations in the UK using electrolysis powered by locally sourced renewable electricity.
“We’re extremely proud to be supplying the largest volume of green hydrogen ever contracted for a British construction project, and I congratulate the Lower Thames Crossing for setting a powerful example of how major infrastructure can be delivered sustainably,” said CEO Andrew Cunningham. “This contract award further strengthens the British hydrogen supply chain, driving both price efficiency and British jobs across this new, exciting industry with tangible deployments.”
The scale of the hydrogen purchase will “accelerate the construction industry’s progress toward net zero by requiring its delivery partners and their supply chain – who are three of the biggest construction firms in Europe – to invest in hydrogen-powered machinery and develop the skills needed to operate and maintain them,” National Highways said.
Want the best engineering stories delivered straight to your inbox? The Professional Engineering newsletter gives you vital updates on the most cutting-edge engineering and exciting new job opportunities. To sign up, click here.
Content published by Professional Engineering does not necessarily represent the views of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.