In our latest 'Five minute read,' our expert Joanna Gilroy, Group Sustainability Director, shares her views on how to increase the supply of hydrogen while ensuring its safety - our number one priority.
Imagine construction sites powered by the most abundant element in the universe - hydrogen. A future where every piece of equipment, from handheld tools to cranes, is powered by zero emission hydrogen fuel, construction sites are free from harmful exhaust fumes, the air is cleaner and noise is reduced.
While this vision of transforming one of the most polluting - yet critical - industries is almost within touching distance, we still face hurdles; including how to increase the supply of hydrogen and ensure its safety 鈥� our number one priority. With the impacts of climate change accelerating and decarbonisation deadlines looming, action is essential.
GeoPura hydrogen generator and renewable energy solutions at Connect Roads M77 / Glasgow South Orbital contact
How can we quickly address issues and deliver hydrogen to construction sites?
1. Transparent categorisation and strategic direction: 333体育平台官网鈥檚 鈥榝uel hierarchy鈥� clearly ranks fuels based on their environmental听impact, moving to less preferred options only when better alternatives have听been explored. The UK needs a similar approach for hydrogen, with a clear听system to categorise different hydrogen sources and consistent emissions听factors for each different production method. This will help us understand which听hydrogen sources are truly sustainable. We must also decide whether to focus听on importing large quantities of hydrogen, producing it locally on a smaller scale,听or a combination. This decision will be crucial in shaping investment and听development in the sector.
2. A hydrogen fuel levy: The supply of green hydrogen - produced from renewable sources - is听inconsistent. For hydrogen producers to meet growing demand and remain听viable, supply must increase in line with industry needs. The unreliable听availability of hydrogen gas is also an obstacle to the widespread adoption of听hydrogen vehicle retrofits, which are crucial for cutting our reliance on diesel.听Our suggestion is a commercial enabler, such as a hydrogen fuel levy, to make听hydrogen economically viable and a practical alternative to diesel. This could听include providing subsidies or incentives to reduce costs and promote听infrastructure development, similar to the UK鈥檚 Carbon Price Support under the听Climate Change Levy, which effectively reduced carbon emissions by raising the听cost of fossil fuels. We also need a clear roadmap for investing in hydrogen听infrastructure, outlining incentives for building more hydrogen refuelling stations听to help decarbonise heavy goods vehicle fleets.
3. Safety guidance: Due to hydrogen鈥檚 high flammability and tendency to leak, having thorough听safety standards in place is crucial to prevent accidents and keep workers safe.听This guidance should address safe storage, handling procedures, and emergency听protocols specifically for hydrogen. Well-defined regulations will not only ensure听that safety measures are followed but also build confidence in hydrogen鈥檚 use,听paving the way for its wider adoption in the industry. We have used the听experience from our hydrogen trials to develop our own technical procedure on听hydrogen deployment, which we have shared with the Health and Safety听Executive (HSE), with the aim of contributing to the development of听industry-wide standards.
We鈥檙e committed to leading the way in adopting hydrogen technology.听Our focus is on using hydrogen on our sites, showcasing its benefits,听and driving innovation across our supply chain: but overcoming the听challenges will take a united effort from everyone in the hydrogen听ecosystem - government, manufacturers, and all other stakeholders听- to turn the vision into reality.
Download a copy of our听'Leading the industry's hydrogen revolution' document.
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At 333体育平台官网, our commitment to sustainability and innovation is embedded in the way we choose and use fuel across our operations. Central to this commitment are our fuel hierarchy principles, which guide us in selecting the most appropriate and sustainable energy sources for our plant, equipment, vehicles and buildings.
Our fuel hierarchy is outlined in the diagram opposite. We have shared this with our colleagues, customers and supply chain partners; reflecting our collaborative approach to sustainability, our transparency and leadership in promoting sustainable practices across the sector.
At the top of our hierarchy are electricity and green hydrogen derived from renewable sources. These are the fuels we prioritise because they align most closely with our goals of reducing carbon emissions and fostering environmental stewardship.
In 2023, we made significant strides in this area by generating 109 MWh of energy from green hydrogen. To put this into perspective, that鈥檚 enough energy to power approximately 37 UK households for an entire year. This achievement is not just a milestone for 333体育平台官网; it鈥檚 a clear indicator of what鈥檚 possible when we embrace innovative solutions and put our sustainability principles into action.
As we continue to explore and expand our use of sustainable energy sources, our fuel hierarchy will be a crucial tool in our journey towards a more sustainable future.
Alongside electricity from renewable sources, green hydrogen offers the lowest carbon solution for fuelling plant, equipment, and vehicles. Although green hydrogen (created from renewable sources) technology is still in its early stages, we are actively collaborating with customers, UK government and our supply chain partners to accelerate its adoption. Through live trials, we aim to establish a robust green hydrogen supply chain and demonstrate that hydrogen can support organisations in decarbonising effectively today. For example, the Scottish Government has provided over 拢240,000 from its Emerging Energies Technology Fund, with 333体育平台官网 match funding the scheme, to allow 333体育平台官网 to retrofit two gritter HGVs and one Impact Protection Vehicle (IPV). This allowed these carbon intensive vehicles to run on both hydrogen and diesel on our Connect Roads M77/Glasgow South Orbital contract, with a 26% reduction in carbon emissions from the three retrofitted hybrid engines.
The Connect Roads M77/GSO depot in East Renfrewshire also became Scotland鈥檚 first 鈥楬ydrogen Construction Hub鈥�, where 333体育平台官网 facilitated quarterly sessions during the first year of the trial to allow customers, supply chain partners and other key stakeholders to hear about the progress and performance of the three retrofitted vehicles and see them in action.
Initiatives like the M77 retrofit are crucial stepping stones in introducing hydrogen to the industry and making it a mainstream solution. However, we couldn鈥檛 have achieved this without the generous funding from the Scottish Government. The work we have done on this site will inform the budget and costings to validate our 2030 and 2050 carbon reduction targets, as per the ambitions in our UK Carbon Reduction Plan.
At 333体育平台官网, achieving Zero Harm will always be our number one priority.听Hydrogen gas, classified as a 鈥楧angerous Substance鈥� under the UK鈥檚 Control of Major听Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations 2015, requires meticulous management.听However, since hydrogen is a relatively new fuel on construction sites, the industry is听still developing the necessary safety protocols.
In our quest for cleaner energy solutions, we have conducted a number of trials with听hydrogen-powered equipment, including tower lights, static power generation听systems, and heavy goods vehicles modified to run on a hydrogen-diesel mix. From听these trials, we have developed a comprehensive set of internal policies and听guidelines to address the unique challenges posed by hydrogen gas and ensure its听safe deployment. This includes strict compliance with our electrical and mechanical听safe systems of work, as well as conducting detailed fire risk assessments specifically听tailored to hydrogen鈥檚 properties. These controls are designed to mitigate the risks of听fire or explosions involving hydrogen, whether for powering mobile plant equipment,听generators, or refuelling stations. Our procedures cover critical aspects such as site听location, storage protocols, workforce training, signage, emergency procedures, and听more, all in full compliance with current legislation and industry standards1.
To support the broader adoption of hydrogen fuel across the sector, we are engaged听with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and have shared our procedures and听insights with them. By doing so, we aim to contribute to the development of听industry-wide standards, helping others benefit from our experience and facilitating听a quicker, safer transition to hydrogen across the whole sector.
鹿Guidance our procedures are compliant with includes: DSEAR (Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations) COMAH (Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015) BCGA, (British Compressed Gases Association) ADR (Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road)
