Europe is one of the main hubs for the green energy transition. Notably, countries like the UK and Germany are making impressive strides in the use of low carbon hydrogen to generate electricity cleanly. We want to look at a couple of interesting stories about this topic here. Then, if you need ERW tubes or other types of tubing for different projects, you can rely on us.
Hydrogen is part of the long term strategies to achieve Net Zero goals, particularly for industries like construction and transport. Using it as a fuel for vehicles, plant, and on-site generators can offer great results. Critically, the only by-product is water vapour. As a result, it is a much greener, more sustainable alternative to diesel.
London buses
Significantly, there is plenty of backing for projects in the UK. One of the most interesting is public transport. London buses are iconic, beloved for the bright red colour, double decker design, and long history. Incredibly, Transport for London (TfL) has 20 that run on hydrogen, using fuel cells that turn it into electricity. They are leaders in trialling the vehicles and deploying them.
The hydrogen-powered buses offer a number of benefits. Notably, they are zero emission so they support initiatives to improve air quality in London. They are also quiet. From an operations perspective, they are quick to refuel (avoiding the recharging time of electric vehicles). This is fantastic for busy areas where buses can’t have a lot of downtime. Speak to us about ordering ERW tube for vehicles, transportation, and other applications.
Construction
Recently we got the news that National Highways will be utilising hydrogen at the Lower Thames Crossing. The project will create a new major road and tunnel at Dartford to help ease congestion and reduce journey times. Notably, the project has been designated as no-diesel. So, it will use green hydrogen for six power generators. In addition, the diverse fleet of vehicles will use alternative power sources. Significantly, they will be a mix of hydrogen-powered, battery electric, and even vehicles using vegetable oil.
Using hydrogen offers some fantastic benefits here too. Like with the buses, it means fast refuelling. Considering the vehicles operate for long hours at high loads, this is important. It also reduces downtime, a vital factor on such big, time sensitive projects. Plus, it is a good option for remote sites.
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Steel tubing is a fantastic option for various applications. Notably, it provides impressive benefits like high strength, stress resistance, and stability. It can help with weight saving too, particularly if you use it instead of solid rods. We’re proud to be one of the leading suppliers in the West Midlands, providing a selection of tubes for a myriad of needs.
There is a critical thing to keep in mind though; hydrogen can cause embrittlement in steel. Because the atoms are so small, they can easily penetrate into the crystal lattice. It causes a loss of ductility. As a result, it can lead to cracks when you apply loads to the steel. Luckily, there has been a lot of research and development to create steels that are safe to use in hydrogen infrastructure and key applications that use it.
If you need any help choosing ERW tubes for projects, you can rely on us. So, get in touch today and discuss your specs and more.
