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(Alliance News) - AFC Energy PLC on Wednesday said one of its hydrogen fuel cells has been deployed at Euston station in London, in the latest of a series of field trials of the product on UK and European construction sites.
AFC Energy is a Surrey-based hydrogen power generation technologies provider. Its hydrogen fuel cell combines hydrogen and oxygen atoms, which react across an electrochemical cell to produce electricity. These cells can be used to charge electric construction machinery at the point of use.
Mace Dragados Joint Venture, the construction team responsible for building HS2's new Euston station, is currently testing the capability of the fuel cell to charge a fully electric JCB telehandler.
It is also being used to charge lighting towers and a water pump on site.
HS2 is Europe's largest infrastructure project, and the UK's flagship transport levelling-up project, AFC said. It is the biggest rail investment ever made in the North of England, with GBP23 billion contracted into the supply chain and over 350 active sites between the West Midlands and London.
"Our trialling of fuel cell generators at our Euston station site underlines our commitment to supporting HS2 with its aspiration to help drive a low carbon future in the UK," said Mace Dragados Programme Director Ben Wheeldon.
"By using the electricity generated by AFC Energy's unit to power a very visible piece of equipment that we use on site each and every day, we are reminding our workforce of the need to put decarbonisation at the forefront of our industry's thinking and encouraging them to bring their own innovative ideas to Euston."
In 2015, it was originally estimated that Phase One of construction would emit 8.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over 60 years. However, the most recent environmental sustainability report published by HS2 for 2020 to 2021 hiked this baseline to 14.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
HS2 attributed this to the extension of the project's design life, yet it remains a controversial endeavour. Most recently, Conservative MP Esther McVey told the Westminster parliament she wouldn't back tax rises unless HS2 is axed.
The use of AFC Energy's hydrogen cells at Euston follows a series of construction deployments for the "H-Power Tower", and also follows the recent successful field trial in Spain of the company's first prototype methanol fuel tower.
AFC Energy shares were trading 1.3% higher at 19.25 pence each in London on Wednesday afternoon.
By Holly Beveridge; hollybeveridge@alliancenews.com
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