Hydrogen Fuel Cells Replace Diesel at UK Quarry Sites

You know, decarbonizing heavy industry is a tough nut to crack, and diesel generators are the obvious first target. But out at a standard quarry near Faversham in Kent, we’re getting a real glimpse of what life after diesel could look like. Brett Aggregates has teamed up with AFC Energy and Energy Solutions to swap out red diesel for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells, giving industrial decarbonization a serious boost.

Thanks to up to £4.8 million from the UK Government’s Red Diesel Replacement programme, the consortium rolled out two of AFC Energy’s systems—the H-Power Tower and the H-Power S+ 200 kW—alongside battery storage and hydrogen carrier conversion gear. They’re powering everything from weighbridge scales and conveyors to pumps and site lighting. As Phil Coupland, Managing Director at Brett Aggregates, puts it: “This project is vital for trimming site emissions and showing that hydrogen can handle real-world operations.”

Kent—often dubbed “The Garden of England”—also owes its economy to those chalk and gravel seams below ground. With around 1.7 million people relying on a network of quarries here, swapping diesel for clean energy could slash millions of litres of red diesel each year and knock thousands of tonnes of CO₂ off their annual tally.

Trial Setup and Technology

At the heart of this trial is a three-part dance: a fuel cell generator, a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), and a battery buffer. The H-Power Tower handles the heavy lifting while the compact H-Power S+ 200 kW module covers the mid-range demand. Both sip hydrogen from a LOHC, which is way easier to transport and store than compressed gas. When usage spikes, a lithium-ion battery pack from Energy Solutions kicks in to smooth things out. And the only byproduct? Water vapour—true zero-emission technology.

Over multiple operational cycles, this setup kept weighbridges humming, pumps pumping, and lights shining without so much as a hiccup. AFC Energy has been refining its fuel cell technology for more than a decade—tweaking stack designs, thermal management, and control software. Last year’s partnership with Speedy Hydrogen Solutions opened the door to generator-as-a-service rentals, and now these units are stepping out of the pilot phase and into real-world sites.

Key Trial Highlights

• Zero-emission technology powering weighbridges, conveyors, and pumps
• Modular H-Power Tower and H-Power S+ 200 kW units working in tandem
• Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers for simpler logistics and enhanced safety
• Energy Solutions lithium-ion battery buffer ensuring consistent output
• £4.8 million grant from the Red Diesel Replacement programme

The LOHC twist is a real game-changer. Instead of swapping high-pressure cylinders, refill trucks top up a stable liquid carrier just like diesel. Then a quick dehydrogenation step feeds pure hydrogen into the fuel cells. It’s as simple and speedy as refuelling with diesel, but without the safety headaches or bulky tanks.

Strategic Implications for Industrial Decarbonization

Quarrying and construction have always been hard-to-abate because they run on diesel—it simply works. But with the UK phasing out red diesel by 2030 and carbon levies rising, hydrogen fuel cells are emerging as a drop-in solution. You can retrofit them onto existing power skids without ripping everything up.

As Adam Bond, CEO of AFC Energy, says: “Off-grid power doesn’t have to mean fumes and noise. Hydrogen fuel cells are commercially viable today.” That £4.8 million grant isn’t just a drop in the bucket—it signals the government’s commitment to industrial decarbonization and to building out hydrogen infrastructure.

By covering the extra cost, the scheme lowers the barrier for early adopters. Those first movers dodge hefty carbon levies, score better ESG credentials, and prepare for stricter emissions rules. For Brett Aggregates, part of the UK’s largest independent building materials group, this trial could unlock new revenue streams as clients demand greener operations and regulators tighten the screws.

Beyond Diesel: Infrastructure and Scalability

One trial won’t solve every challenge—hydrogen refuelling points are still thin on the ground and supply chains need to scale up. But this project lays out a clear blueprint: use LOHC for transport, containerised fuel cell units for power, and battery buffers to handle load swings. It dovetails neatly with emerging green hydrogen projects, linking production to consumption in a practical loop.

Major equipment makers like JCB are already testing hydrogen-powered excavators and dumpers, hinting at a wider ecosystem shift. As refuelling networks expand, off-grid uses could grow into EV charging hubs, mobile data centres, and even remote events—all running on the same fuel cell technology.

The hybrid design—pairing fuel cells with lithium-ion batteries—cranks up efficiency and stretches maintenance intervals. Batteries absorb short-term spikes, letting the fuel cells run at a steady pace. That not only boosts reliability but should also drive down lifecycle costs compared to standalone generators.

Under Speedy Hydrogen Solutions’ rental model, operators can hire these fuel cell units just like a traditional generator—pay-as-you-go, no massive upfront investment. That familiar setup helps companies dip a toe into clean power without rewriting their financial playbook.

Next up, the consortium plans to publish a deep-dive report on performance metrics, fuel consumption, uptime, and maintenance data. Sharing those results openly will be key to attracting more investment and scaling deployments across additional sites.

Drive through Kent today and it looks like any other quarry—rocks get crushed, trucks roll in and out. But the power behind the scenes? It’s quieter, cleaner, and offers a sneak-peek at a future where zero-emission technology works side by side with heavy machinery. Trials like this are the stepping stones to net-zero, and, if you ask me, they’re exactly what we need right now.