Building materials supplier to trial hydrogen-fuelled asphalt
The UK Government has pledged £6.1mln to the Bay Hydrogen Hub pilot project, which may begin next year.
The asphalt is planned to be produced at scale using nuclear-derived hydrogen by heavy-building materials supplier Hanson in mid-Wales.
The consortium of EDF, National Nuclear Laboratory and Vulcan Burners will match the cash-injection from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Small quantities of electricity and steam from the nuclear power generation at Heysham two will be used to create hydrogen from a solid-oxide, electrolysis-cell electrolyser.
High-capacity tankers will transport the hydrogen to the asphalt plant at Criggion.
Hanson say that it has already used hydrogen at its cement works in Ribblesdale, Lancashire, but its use as a fuel for an asphalt site will be a first.
