Unlocking Decarbonisation Opportunities: The Case for Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines in the UK NRMM Sector
Key Ideas
- H2ICE technology in the UK's NRMM sector is essential for decarbonization, offering high performance and efficiency comparable to diesel engines while significantly reducing emissions.
- Adoption of H2ICE can lead to immediate air quality improvements with up to 95% reduction in NOx and 99.8% reduction in Pm, contributing to a cleaner environment.
- The use of H2ICE is likely to be the least inflationary approach to decarbonizing the NRMM sector, providing economic benefits and job retention in a sector worth over £17.6 billion to the UK economy.
- Recommendations from the report urge active promotion of H2ICE as a net-zero emissions technology to rapidly decarbonize not only the NRMM sector but also other sectors for substantial environmental and economic benefits.
A recently conducted study by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in the UK sheds light on the significant economic and environmental benefits of hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2ICE) in the non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) sector. The sector, valued at over £17.6 billion in 2022, heavily relies on exports and employs approximately 100,000 individuals. The study emphasizes that a mix of solutions, including electrification and hydrogen technology, is essential for decarbonizing this sector. The Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine Subgroup, comprising industry experts, highlighted the key areas of performance, emissions, practicalities, and impact in adopting H2ICE.
Performance-wise, H2ICE engines demonstrate efficiency and performance levels similar to or better than diesel engines, with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. The report underscores that the adoption of H2ICE could lead to a substantial reduction in NOx and Pm emissions, contributing to better air quality. Moreover, the use of H2ICE has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions and the Global Warming Potential significantly.
From a practical standpoint, utilizing hydrogen as a fuel for H2ICE presents no additional challenges compared to other zero-emission solutions. The study suggests that H2ICE technology is cost-effective, promotes job retention, and enables easier repowering and upcycling. The report strongly recommends active promotion of H2ICE as a key technology for achieving net-zero emissions in the NRMM sector, highlighting its potential to mitigate job losses, drive economic growth, and expedite the transition to a cleaner energy future. Additionally, the report advocates for considering H2ICE as a viable net-zero emissions technology for various sectors, emphasizing its role in achieving environmental and economic benefits.