A world first project is set to bring hydrogen dual-fuel to the construction sector.
On 8 June, ULEMCo announced that it is working with Cementation Skanska and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) on a project that will produce and evaluate a dual-fuel hydrogen and diesel piling machine. ZECHER – Zero Carbon Hydrogen Construction Equipment for Real-world use – will provide a proof of concept for converting on-site construction equipment, delivering a physical conversion of the piling rig, while exploring the potential of hydrogen fuel for construction site decarbonisation.
Findings from this test will be used to explore the opportunities for using hydrogen to reduce carbon and significantly improve air quality for a range of heavy-duty, non-road machinery that is typically used during the early stages of large infrastructure construction projects. The project, which has been backed by government funding through the first phase of the Red Diesel Replacement programme, will examine the range of equipment used at a construction site, create detailed energy use and duty cycle data, and investigate the requirements and options for addressing the challenges of providing hydrogen at scale, across the UK.
Amanda Lyne, Managing Director of ULMECo, said: “ZECHER plans to show that conversion to dual-fuel will save up to 50% CO2 in this duty cycle, and we expect that it will provide additional emissions benefits such as reduction in NOx and particulates. The machines used in construction are owned and used for many years, so demonstrating a decarbonisation solution that utilises these existing assets is not only cost-effective but also important for sustainability.”
