JCB’s top engineer Tim Burnhope explains his reasons for believing that in the quest for lower emissions, hydrogen is the only viable alternative to diesel…
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There’s no better time to be penning this article because our industry is at a crossroads. The direction we decide to take will impact us all.
The UK government is currently calling for evidence into the decarbonation options for non-road mobile machinery. It is seeking views on the technologies to net zero for the kind of machines that JCB and its competitors sell in the UK.
Rallying cry
JCB’s chairman Lord Bamford has already issued a rallying cry for the industry to respond to this Call for Evidence. And that’s because its impact, and resulting government policy, will determine how machines are powered and used for future generations.
This Call for Evidence also has potential for a wider impact, beyond our industry. JCB machines are work tools, designed to do a job in the fastest possible time, for the lowest possible cost. Anything which adversely impacts this will mean costs and delays, ultimately impacting the public. At a time when housing is becoming unaffordable for many, and food prices are rising, there is a real sense that if the UK gets this wrong, we will all feel the effect.
Diesel replacements
For decades, customers have relied on diesel machines to deliver their needs, but we are now at a point where we must decide which technologies can replace diesel. Many technologies are being considered for net zero in the construction and agricultural sectors: tethered electric, battery, hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen combustion engine, and fuels such as HVO and e-fuels.
As we consider future machine powertrains, it’s easy to get lost in detailed analysis of technologies, rather than focussing on what our customers need to succeed.
Our customers repeatedly say that machines must work in remote locations, ‘off-grid’. From day one of an infrastructure project, when there is absolutely nothing on site, machines must start working. For most applications, this could rule out tethered electric machines.
Battery-electric not the answer
Owners and users also want machines which are always available to work when needed. This could rule out battery-electric machines, which rely on planned, coordinated charging time where the machine is parked up (assuming customers can get many grid-powered Megawatt chargers on site, rather than gensets).
Machines are work tools: they must be deployed in harsh environments and, importantly, keep working. When a machine stops, work stops, so robust and reliable machines are crucial for the construction industry. When downtime occurs, it is not always straightforward to recover a machine to an ultra-clean workshop. The ability to repair a machine quickly on site is crucial. This could rule out hydrogen fuel cells, with their complex electrical components, and the need for ‘clean-room’ levels of cleanliness.
While machines may start life in the UK, in time they often end up working abroad. Machines sold in the UK must therefore be reliable in all extremes of temperature, humidity and dust. We know from decades of use, the combustion engine is resilient, built to withstand even the harshest environments.
A way forward with hydrogen
For the reasons above, it’s JCB’s firm opinion that hydrogen combustion engines are the way forward for JCB products. We’ve reached that view after listening to, and understanding, our customers’ needs. Engines are proven as the very best solution for our industry – we just need to work to supply low-cost green hydrogen to them.
As an industry, we must make sure our views are heard. I urge everyone to respond to the Call for Evidence, explaining your own experiences of the industry – what works and what doesn’t. The future of our industry depends on us all getting this right – not wrong.
