Advancing the next generation of zero emission construction

The project is supported by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) as part of the ARMD4 Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator 4 competition. 

The aim of this competition is to develop a product or process demonstrator, to enable increased capability, and create commercial exploitation opportunities as a result of the project. The project will develop future zero emission technology as a key element in the UK’s transition to a zero-emission automotive industry. 

HyConstruct will develop an advanced control system to apply hydrogen-dual-fuel to heavy duty off-highway vehicles to reduce CO2 from UK construction sites. It will demonstrate this control system on off-highway vehicles on a working construction site along-side refuelling options. 

HyConstruct builds on the recent DESNZ-funded Element1 project which looked to use hydrogen-dual-fuel technology as a ‘stepping-stone’ to 100% hydrogen-powered vehicles in construction. Element1 achieved a diesel/H2 ratio of c.30%. 

The advanced control algorithms developed under HyConstruct will target increasing the H2 by a further c.30%, enabling sufficient consumption to justify the business case for plant conversion and H2 supply infrastructure.