Two UK companies have launched a hydrogen fuel cell they say can supply silent, non-polluting power to construction sites.

They say it is easy to transport, can be used in enclosed ventilated spaces, has minimal maintenance requirements and has lower lifecycle costs than a diesel generator.

The cell is the result of a collaboration between Intelligent Energy, a Loughborough-based fuel cell engineering company, and Taylor Construction Plant (TCP) an Essex-based specialist in green construction equipment.

The two companies have been working on a number of products, of which the first is the “ECO GH2” fuel cell, capable of producing 1kW of direct current, or 5kW of current when attached to a TCP inverter power pack.

The ECO GH2 is zero emission and has near silent operation, an advantage for night-time work and for operations in urban areas.

Andrew Barker, managing director of TCP, commented: “By integrating Intelligent Energy’s 801 Fuel Cell Module with our product design we have produced a fully functional DC generator which can be used for multiple applications.

“The unit is also a vital component to our new LGP inverter power pack, together they provide an output of 5KW and are an invaluable resource for the construction industry in its bid to achieve zero emissions.”

Alistair Ball, interim chief executive of Intelligent Energy, added that the cell would help construction to address the noise and pollution produced by diesel generators.

The ECO GH2 will be officially unveiled at UK Construction Week to be held in October at the NEC in Birmingham.

Image: One selling point of the cells is their portability (Intelligent Energy)

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