Galliford Try has trialled a zero-emission construction site powered by green hydrogen for the first time on a National Highways project.
As the lead constructor for a £7m new pedestrian crossing at the A5036 Dunnings Bridge Road and Park Lane crossroads at Netherton in Merseyside, the company has powered three site offices, toilets, a kitchen, a drying room and two EV charging points through the use of hydrogen fuel cell generators as an alternative to traditional diesel-powered generators.
Ian Spence, National Highways’ Park Lane project manager, commented: ‘This is the first time we have ever operated a compound with hydrogen generators and it’s cutting up to 2.5 tonnes of carbon from the project every week as well as being far cleaner and quieter for local residents as well as staff using the compound.’
Due to conclude on 12 June, the scheme has been underway since last November, with Galliford Try piloting this hydrogen alternative for the entire duration. National Highways stated that the trial also utilised green hydrogen, which is generated using renewable, emission-free wind or solar power. Highways has approached National Highways to confirm where the green hydrogen was sourced from.
Duncan Smith, National Highways’ chief operating officer, said: ‘At National Highways we’re totally committed to decarbonising the way we operate, maintain, repair and improve our roads. We expect companies in our supply chain to share those goals, so when I visited the site, I was delighted to see ourselves and Galliford Try working together to trial this new, greener way of running the construction compound.
‘It’s a pilot project and as the price of this technology comes down, this has to be the future compared to burning fossil fuels when we cannot connect a site to the grid.’
Poppy Parsons, head of low carbon for Galliford Try, added: ‘Diesel Hybrid generators have traditionally been our go-to solution for sites with limited or temporary access to mains power. By switching to green hydrogen, we’ve been able to remove all carbon emissions from site power generation, improve local air quality, and minimise noise disruption.
‘The transition has allowed us to show this new technology works in reality, lowering environmental impact without compromising on reliable power, and we are now looking to expand its use within our business.’
