Heidelberg Materials has successfully used hydrogen to decarbonise asphalt production on an industrial scale for the first time in the UK.
Achieved at the company's Criggion plant in Powys, mid-Wales, the project forms part of the UK Government's Industrial Hydrogen Accelerator programme and received part-funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
During the trial, hydrogen was used as an alternative to liquid fossil fuels to produce over 1,300 tonnes of asphalt without any negative impact on performance or quality of the material.
The project also achieved a 76% reduction in Scope 1 (direct) emissions, which equates to a 23% reduction in the overall carbon footprint of the asphalt produced.
A total of 4,522kg of hydrogen was used during the trial, saving 25,105kg of CO2. According to Heidelberg, this could reach savings of 450,000 tonnes of CO2 a year if this solution were ‘scaled across the UK asphalt industry'.
Simon Willis, Heidelberg Materials UK CEO, said: ‘If we are to reach our net zero ambitions, we need to consider carbon reduction measures across all areas of our operations.
‘Fuel switching to hydrogen is one of these along with, for example, the development of carbon capture and storage, the use of alternative and secondary materials, and developing circular solutions.
‘Hydrogen will be a vital solution to decarbonise heavy industry where electrification is difficult, and this successful demonstration of its potential to produce low-carbon asphalt for the construction industry is a major step forward.'
