The move includes the supply, storage and distribution of the low-carbon hydrogen as part of measures to reach net zero by 2040.
It is estimated the scheme will remove a total of 66 million litres of diesel from National Highways' worksites. The project also plans to use electric plant for static or slow-moving machinery, where a mains connection is possible and in smaller equipment where battery solutions are viable.
Projects such as HS2 have trialled small hydrogen generators, however the Lower Thames Crossing would be the first in the UK to use the fuel on a large scale to power its major construction vehicles such as excavators and dump trucks.
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Commenting on the plans, Matt Palmer, Executive Director, Lower Thames Crossing said: "The proposed Lower Thames Crossing is designed to be the greenest road ever built in the UK, with the aim of being carbon neutral in construction. 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."
Reflecting on the impact of the scheme, Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister for Industry and Economic Security, said: "Last month we unveiled our new Route Map to drive diesel out of construction, marking a vital step towards achieving our ambitions of net zero by 2050. I'm pleased to now see National Highways' plans to replace diesel with hydrogen on the proposed Lower Thames Crossing project.
"This will not only drive forward our construction sector's net zero transition but also help to create a new hydrogen ecosystem in the Thames Estuary, moving us forward towards a cleaner, greener industrial future."
