The HyConstruct initiative will use AI and advanced control systems to make dual-fuel engines use more hydrogen and less diesel.

“This will enable hydrogen consumption to be boosted to a level where the scale of use on site further improves the business case for wholesale plant upgrades and be competitive with diesel supply costs,” UlemCo said in a statement.

Using GeoPura hydrogen power units (HPU) to provide clean fuel and off-grid refuelling, the project partners will test Kobelco excavators, which were converted to hydrogen in an earlier project, and a heavy-duty articulated dump truck.

“Converting existing equipment to run on clean hydrogen points the way to saving the carbon from these machines now, as well as saving the embedded emissions from the actual construction phase itself,” explained UlemCo Managing Director, Amanda Lyne.

The year-long project, set to begin this month, has been backed by the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre under its Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator programme.

Using a BAM live construction site, Platforce will provide the machinery, while the Building Research Establishment (BRE) will collect and share project learnings.

BRE will validate and share best practices for hydrogen storage, refuelling, and supply on construction sites.

“By supplying and managing the hydrogen used on site, we’re helping the consortium prove how hydrogen can be safely and efficiently integrated into construction operations,” Alistair Gemmel, Chief Business Development Officer at GeoPura, said.

“[This] will ultimately bring the construction sector closer to being both commercially and environmentally sustainable.”

The hydrogen-enabled machines are scheduled to be demonstrated next year, at the Cenex Expo.