National Highways is to use hydrogen-fuelled plant to reduce the carbon footprint of the Lower Thames Crossing.
It will be the first major UK infrastructure project to use hydrogen to power its heavy construction machinery.
Although projects like HS2 have trialled small hydrogen generators, the Lower Thames Crossing would be the first in the country to use the fuel on a large scale to power its major construction vehicles, such as excavators and dump trucks.
A spokesperson for National Highways said that the company’s intention is to use low-carbon green hydrogen only. However, they are not able to confirm “100% yet” as the procurement process is still ongoing.
National Highways is also considering the use of other renewable fuel sources and biofuels, as well as plant for static or slow-moving machinery.
The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposed new road connecting Kent, Thurrock and Essex via a tunnel beneath the River Thames. It aims to ease congestion at the Dartford Crossing by removing around 13 million vehicles from it each year.
It is one of the several projects the government has delayed by two years due to inflation pressures.
Pathfinder project
Lower Thames Crossing is a designated ‘pathfinder project’ to explore carbon neutral construction.
The scheme aims to remove an estimated total of 66 million litres of diesel from its work sites. National Highways said that the move also has the potential to create 9,000 skilled jobs and give a £3.8bn boost to the economy.
The move is part of National Highways’ plan to achieve net-zero maintenance and construction emissions by 2040.
The Civil Engineering Contractors Association’s chief executive, Alasdair Reisner, said: “We have a shared challenge to drive carbon out of the construction industry, finding alternatives to diesel is vital.
“The journey will be difficult unless we start to make progress now and the leadership shown by the Lower Thames Crossing to use hydrogen at this unprecedented scale shows it can be done, and invites others to take a similarly bold step forward.”
