Keltbray has signed a collaboration deal with AFC Energy, a provider of hydrogen power generation technologies, to trial fuel cell deployment on a construction site.
Keltbray has agreed to lease from AFC Energy an initial zero emission hybrid fuel cell (HFC) generator as a showcase of how the construction industry can decarbonise sites today.
It is expected to be deployed on a site somewhere in London by the end of June. The precise location has yet to be confirmed.
AFC Energy is a Surrey-based developer of alkaline fuel cells that use hydrogen for electricity production. This will be its first HFC deployment in the UK.
The two companies have outlined a roadmap to consider further system deployments in late 2022.
Keltbray and AFC Energy have been working together for the past five months reviewing zero emission, fuel cell power generators able to accept flex fuelling strategies across hydrogen, ammonia and methanol as a means of decarbonising.
With the removal of the UK’s £0.4861 per litre Red Diesel subsidy from April 2022, together with recent increases in the price of diesel fuel, construction and other temporary power users are facing material increases in the cost of using diesel generators relative to the cost of clean alternatives such as fuel cell technologies.
Kiro Tamer, head of environmental sustainability at Keltbray, said: “This is an important step forward in our journey towards a net zero future. Keltbray strives to make a positive contribution to the planet and this partnership allows us to further accelerate the sector’s transition to a more sustainable world. Collaboration is key in achieving real change and the whole sector must work together to ensure we transform how we deliver the built environment. The use of this innovative technology allows us to play a key role in assisting the industry in reducing its reliance on fossil fuels.”
AFC Energy chief executive Adam Bond said: "As an innovative and socially responsible UK contractor, Keltbray continues to show great leadership in highlighting, through adoption of hydrogen fuel cell power generator technology, how the construction industry is seeing the benefit of displacing highly pollutant fossil fuels in favour of cutting-edge clean energy solutions.”
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