Hitachi Energy has completed the deployment of a zero-emission construction site in the United Kingdom. For four weeks, the company powered its own construction site as part of a National Grid 400 kilovolt (kV) grid connection project in Rugeley, Staffordshire, mitigating emissions from conventional diesel generators. The self-funded initiative reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability and the targets of achieving net-zero by 2050¹.
During this time, the site relied on Hitachi Energy’s HyFlex® hydrogen-powered generator supplied with clean green hydrogen from Air Products, together with a battery energy storage system (BESS). Based on an estimated electricity consumption of up to 5.2 megawatt-hour (MWh), the project avoided around five tonnes of CO₂ emissions compared to conventional diesel generators during the four-week period—roughly equivalent to two round-trip economy-class flights between London and New York. This achievement demonstrates the technology readiness for real-world application and marks a significant step toward fossil-free construction.
Green hydrogen is becoming increasingly central to the energy transition. Its versatility as a clean energy carrier offers strong potential to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and indirectly electrify industrial processes. The construction sector alone accounts for over a third of global energy-related CO₂ emissions3, and the footprint of building operations continues to rise.
Policy momentum is accelerating this shift. In the UK, the Construction Leadership Council’s Zero Diesel Sites Route Map sets a target to cut diesel use on construction sites by 78 percent by 20354, highlighting the urgency to replace conventional generators with cleaner alternatives. As emission-free construction requirements expand across Europe, flexible energy hubs are a key enabler for sites that need affordable, reliable, and clean power. Hitachi Energy supports these hubs with its broader offering, which includes mobile BESS, charging infrastructure, and advanced energy management systems. HyFlex, an award-winning solution, plays a key role in making hybrid energy hubs practical and scalable for zero-emission construction sites.
The Rugeley case builds on the success of earlier pioneering HyFlex® deployments across Europe in collaborations involving leading companies such as Kanonaden, Volvo, the Port of Gothenburg, and Dura Vermeer. During these initiatives, Hitachi Energy’s HyFlex®-powered construction sites, including electric construction machinery, operated in areas without access to the power grid. It also enables zero emission of pollutants such as NOx and SOx, delivering very low noise and vibrations, which contributes to the wellbeing of site workers.
“These projects showcased HyFlex®’s strengths: fast deployment, reliability, and capability to deliver clean power under demanding conditions, particularly where grid capacity is limited or non-existent. All of this while improving environmental performance and working conditions, makes it a true social innovation.
They also highlight how strong collaboration, aligned timing, and shared innovation goals can turn early concepts into operational solutions quickly.”
Marco Berardi
Head of Grid & Power Quality Solutions and Service at Hitachi Energy
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