GeoPura’s 2,500t hydrogen for Lower Thames Crossing: logistics and risk notes for engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on New Civil Engineer
30 Second Briefing
British hydrogen producer GeoPura will supply 2,500t of green hydrogen to power construction of National Highways’ Lower Thames Crossing, billed as the largest single use of green hydrogen on a UK infrastructure scheme. The fuel will support temporary power generation and plant operations on the 23km road and tunnel project beneath the River Thames, reducing reliance on diesel generators. Contractors and plant suppliers will need to integrate hydrogen-compatible equipment, on-site storage, and high-capacity refuelling logistics into construction planning and risk assessments.
Technical Brief
- Hydrogen deployment will require ATEX-compliant storage, venting, and separation distances on constrained compounds.
- Site traffic management will need designated hydrogen tanker routes, exclusion zones and emergency egress planning.
- Construction phase risk assessments must integrate hydrogen leak, jet fire and explosion scenarios alongside diesel.
- Fire strategies will differ from hydrocarbon norms, focusing on dispersion, controlled burn-off and gas detection.
- Workforce training will extend to hydrogen-specific PPE, refuelling procedures and ignition source control on plant.
Our Take
Among the 16 hydrogen‑keyword pieces in our database, most UK items focus on pilot-scale or depot power systems, so a 2,500 t supply for the Lower Thames Crossing signals one of the first genuinely large construction-site deployments in the country.
For UK Infrastructure coverage, hydrogen has so far appeared mainly in rail and depot decarbonisation; using it on a major road tunnel project suggests contractors are starting to treat hydrogen as a practical alternative to diesel for heavy civil works rather than just for fixed facilities.
A supply of this magnitude for a single UK project implies that GeoPura will need robust on-site storage, delivery scheduling, and safety management, which is likely to set reference practices for hydrogen handling on future large civil schemes in the United Kingdom.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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