Kent-based Gallagher Group recently hosted a landmark hydrogen-powered plant trial at its Hermitage Quarry as part of the company’s journey to net zero by 2050, in collaboration with the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project, JCB and Ryze Power.
The trial represents a major step forward for the Lower Thames Crossing’s ambition to eliminate diesel use from its construction sites by 2027, and Gallagher Group provided the setting for LTC’s first successful trial of low-carbon, hydrogen combustion-powered machinery – a JCB 540-180H Loadall.
This cutting-edge machine replaced a traditional diesel-powered Loadall during masonry operations at Hermitage Quarry. Not only did it operate safely and effectively, but it also delivered zero tailpipe emissions and demonstrated a potential CO2 saving of around 205kg per machine, per week, compared with a conventional diesel-powered machine, providing clear evidence of the potential for hydrogen to decarbonise heavy construction machinery.
The trial at Hermitage Quarry supports the Lower Thames Crossing’s broader goal to reduce construction carbon by 70%, making it the UK’s greenest road project. Set to begin construction as early as 2026, the project will be the first in the UK to use hydrogen at such a large scale to power heavy plant machinery, alongside electric vehicles.
Gallagher is committed to reducing emissions across all aspects of its operations and sees the adoption of hydrogen power as a vital step towards delivering low-carbon construction solutions that are both practical and scalable.
Sean Connor, managing director of Gallagher Aggregates Ltd, said: “As part of our own journey to net zero and in keeping with our drive for low-carbon, sustainable construction solutions, Gallagher was delighted to host and carry out this hydrogen trial in partnership with JCB, Lower Thames Crossing and Ryze Power.”
Matt Palmer, executive director of Lower Thames Crossing, added: “The Lower Thames Crossing is a Pathfinder project, designed to be the greenest road ever built in Britain.
“At the heart of these plans is the use of clean low-carbon hydrogen power, and by using it on such a large scale to power our heavy construction machinery that is traditionally hard to electrify, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate the construction industry’s shift away from diesel and help kick-start the creation of a hydrogen ecosystem in the Thames Estuary.’
Gallagher Group’s involvement in the trial supports the transition to cleaner construction methods, but also contributes to the growth of a hydrogen ecosystem in the Thames Estuary, an initiative expected to be worth £3.8 billion and create 9,000 skilled jobs by 2035.
