National Highways is seeking a supplier of low carbon hydrogen for contractors on the planned £9bn Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), with the aim of displacing more than a third of the diesel forecast to be used on the scheme’s construction.
The government-owned company has designated the LTC a pathfinder project to explore carbon neutral construction and has said that low carbon hydrogen is a key element in the scheme’s strategy to deliver its carbon reduction targets.
The procurement covers the production, delivery and storage on site of low carbon hydrogen for use by the main contractors to fuel their construction plant and equipment.
This type of hydrogen would be produced using a low carbon power, which is defined as electricity produced with substantially lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fossil fuel power generation.
According to a prior information notice (PIN), a key objective is to enable a significant reduction in the use of diesel on the scheme. Making hydrogen easily available could displace over one third of the diesel forecast to be used during construction, the PIN states.
The procurement, which is valued at £50m, requires supply of an estimated 6,200 tonnes of low carbon hydrogen over five years with delivery and storage on site as required.
A contract notice for the scheme is due at the end of the month, with an estimated commencement date in mid-2024 and the supply of hydrogen commencing in 2027 – now slated as the date for construction to commence on the delayed LTC scheme.
National Highways is in the process of awarding three contracts to main contractors who will be responsible for the design and build of the new road connecting Kent and Essex through tunnels underneath the River Thames.
The three main contracts are: Roads North of the Thames contract, the Tunnels and Approaches contract and the Kent Roads contract.
National Highways said it is anticipated that all three contracts will be awarded by the end of 2023.
The contract will be procured under the Competitive Dialogue Procedure (Public Contracts Regulations 2015) with a contract based on an NEC4 form.
