Balfour Beatty embrace pioneering hydrogen-powered engine cleantech
Leading international infrastructure group, Balfour Beatty, has successfully completed an ‘engine carbon clean’ (ECC) trial on a Plasser and Theuer compact tamper, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology in reducing carbon emissions and improving engine performance.
ECC is an innovative and patented on-demand hydrogen generator technology that cleans combustion engines internally by removing carbon build up. Hydrogen is piped into the air intake and the engine sucks in on demand what it needs – significantly improving fuel efficiency and reducing toxic emissions, including CO₂, CO, NOx, and N₂O.
Balfour Beatty is the first infrastructure company to apply this solution to rail-mounted plant as part of efforts to address Scope 1 emissions. The trial simulated a full year of usage aligning with typical maintenance cycles and saw a 15.79% reduction in emissions. Following the successful trial, the company is now aiming to roll out the ECC service across its entire tamper fleet.
George Chaplin, Investment & Innovation Manager at Balfour Beatty, says: “ECC is a simple and non-intrusive solution that fits seamlessly into our servicing schedules without disrupting workflows. By extending engine life, reducing maintenance requirements, and lowering fuel consumption, ECC delivers measurable carbon and costs savings while minimising downtime – making it a smart, sustainable investment for our fleet.”
Ben Kattenhorn, CEO of Engine Carbon Clean (by Advanced Hydrogen Technologies), adds: “The technology is already proven on road vehicles with similar engine types, achieving fuel and CO₂ savings between 8-30%, but working with rail experts K2C Rail (and their partners 1stinrail, part of the industry leading RSK Group, who also support our technology) means the ECC team are also fully aware of rail procedures, so it’s a slick and BAU service. Rail is one of the sectors most under scrutiny, but ECC offers an immediate solution – also restoring engine efficiency and power, extending the lifespan of assets and fully aligning with the new ESG compliance requirements of the International Financial Reporting Standards mandate.”
Balfour Beatty Environmental Sustainability Manager, Jonathan Turner, and K2C Rail MD, Tony Kearns, explain ECC’s impact on Scope 1 and Scope 3 emissions further in this 90 second video: https://youtu.be/zY1WrdLtr8I
The ECC system generates an oxyhydrogen gas, on-demand, via simple tap water electrolysers, which is fed into the engine on demand. This cleans all of the engine, all the way to the DPF. It’s the reaction between the hydrogen, oxygen and heating process which ‘pops’ the carbon off from inside the engine including the pre-combustion parts.
The removal of the carbon build up inside the engine allows it to breathe – this in turn allows for better combustion, which means revolutions per minute (RPM) can return back to manufacturer’s recommended levels and optimal efficiency.
Hydrogen is a non-corrosive gas, plus no chemicals or harmful additives are used, there is no storage of compressed hydrogen involved, hydrogen isn’t forced of injected into the engine, plus there is no super heating of the engine to burn off the carbon.
As a modular system, it cleans any internal combustion engine – from a small generator to family car, LGVs & HGVs, a commercial boiler, heavy plant equipment, a locomotive or even a ship’s engine – just by increasing the number of electrolysers. As all combustible fuels create carbon, it works on any engine – diesel and petrol, HVO, CNG, LNG and other biofuels.
ECC tracks CO₂ levels with an ISO calibrated emissions tester and records from baseline and at post fourth clean, which also indicates the vehicles fuel reduction at idle. Because CO₂ and fuel efficiency are linked, a measurable reduction in emissions and a decrease in fuel consumption will always follow.
For further information on the companies involved visit: https://www.balfourbeatty.com/ and https://enginecarbonclean.com/ plus https://www.1stinrail.co.uk/and https://k2crail.com/