GeoPura, part of Ballard, is supplying 2,500 tons of green hydrogen to the Lower Thames Crossing - a major UK infrastructure project that will create a new road and tunnel beneath the River Thames. The agreement represents the largest volume of green hydrogen ever contracted for a British construction project. It is expected to replace more than 12 million liters of diesel and avoid an estimated 30,000 tons of CO₂ emissions during construction.
Connecting Kent on the river’s southern side with Essex to the north, the Lower Thames Crossing is designed to ease congestion on a vital transport route linking south-east England’s ports with the rest of the country. The project is the first major British infrastructure project to be carbon neutral in construction. A key part of this ambition is replacing diesel with hydrogen, electric and other low-carbon fuels. Unlike diesel, hydrogen only emits water when used in a fuel cell, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and protecting air quality for both the workforce and local communities.
Delivery is already taking shape on site. GeoPura’s Hydrogen Power Units (HPUs), powered by Ballard’s fuel cells, are already supporting early construction activities by generating electricity to charge electric machinery and equipment. Six HPUs are currently operating at the site with the UK National Highways agency reporting that work at the northern tunnel entrance site is powered entirely by hydrogen.
“We’re extremely proud to be supplying the largest volume of green hydrogen ever contracted for a British construction project and I congratulate the Lower Thames Crossing for setting a powerful example of how major infrastructure can be delivered sustainably. This contract award further strengthens the British hydrogen supply chain driving both price efficiency and British jobs across this new, exciting industry with tangible deployments.”
Andrew Cunningham
CEO, GeoPura
GeoPura’s HPUs demonstrate how hydrogen can support the electrification of construction machinery where power is needed, even on remote sites. Fuel cells convert hydrogen into electricity, providing power for battery charging without the exhaust emissions associated with diesel generation.
For construction teams, this addresses an important operational challenge. Electric machinery needs dependable charging, including at temporary or changing work sites where suitable grid connections may be limited. Hydrogen-powered generation provides electricity close to where equipment is working, helping operators deploy electric machinery while meeting the demands of the construction schedule.
GeoPura’s role extends across the hydrogen supply chain. It produces green hydrogen using renewable electricity, including its HyMarnham Power site in Nottinghamshire. For the Lower Thames Crossing, hydrogen will be supplied as a managed service covering delivery, storage, and distribution to equipment during the main construction phase.
This coordination is essential to making hydrogen useful on site. Contractors need confidence that fuel will arrive when required, that storage fits the available space, and that equipment can operate throughout the working day. Planning those arrangements alongside machinery deployment helps make lower-carbon energy part of normal construction operations.
The benefits extend to the working environment. Replacing diesel generators with hydrogen fuel cell power removes a source of local exhaust pollution, supporting better air quality for workers and surrounding communities. Using hydrogen produced from renewable electricity also addresses the emissions associated with producing the fuel.
The scale of the Lower Thames Crossing commitment has implications beyond a single construction site. Sustained demand can support investment in hydrogen production and distribution, while giving contractors and equipment suppliers the opportunity to build skills in operating and maintaining hydrogen-powered systems.
For the wider construction industry, the project offers a chance to learn from commercial deployment: how fuel deliveries are coordinated, how power systems respond to changing site requirements, and how hydrogen and batteries work together.
For Ballard and GeoPura, it demonstrates the connection between fuel cell technology and hydrogen supply, power generation and site operations - a combination brought together through Ballard’s acquisition of GeoPura in August 2026. The experience gained will help inform how similar approaches can be applied to other projects seeking to reduce diesel use while maintaining reliable site power.