A trial of solar and green hydrogen energy at a Somerset project has saved Kier around 20,000 litres of diesel in four months, the contractor said.
The Bridgwater Tidal Barrier scheme used a total of 16,047 kWh from the start of January to the end of April this year. 6,588 kWh came from solar power, 9,171 kWh from green hydrogen and 287 kWh from back-up batteries.
In the trial, approximately 53,000kg CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) was saved at the point of use, compared to a diesel generator with no additional interventions.
Kier said the saving is equivalent to driving 314,000km in an average diesel car, or 350 one-way flights from London to Glasgow.
The minimum 12-month trial aims to find out whether solar power with a green hydrogen backup is a viable alternative on a construction site where access to mains electricity is unavailable.
Zero-emission technology
The technology supplied to the site is designed to be zero-emission at the point of use due to its combination of solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells. It incorporates a battery that integrates with solar panels, allowing the system to convert energy into renewable power, resulting in a continuous supply
Kier added that as well as contributing to a reduction in carbon emissions, the technology also reduces noise on site. It also avoids the potential spill risks associated with alternative generators.
Jo Driffield, senior engineer in the Environment Agency’s innovation team, said: “This early trial is critical to help understand the technology. Conducting trials like this will demonstrate the demand for hydrogen, especially green hydrogen, which is needed to help support the investment into the production and supply to the construction industry and other uses.”
Hannah McIlroy, communications and sustainability director at Kier Natural Resources, Nuclear & Networks, added: “It is great to see how we are working so closely together with our clients and the supply chain to explore ways to collectively reduce our carbon emissions. I know that colleagues in Kier and the wider construction industry are keen to discover how our sustainable energy trial is progressing, and we are looking forward to sharing more.”
