Off-highway vehicle manufacturers in Germany are set to benefit from a €5.1m (£4.25m) three-year project investigating how hydrogen can effectively power agricultural and construction machinery across a broad spectrum of applications.

The funds are being provided by the country’s federal ministry for economic affairs and climate action, and bring together research organisations, OEMs Claas and Liebherr, engine maker Deutz, and automotive component suppliers such as Mahle, NGK and Castrol.

See also: JCB’s hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine examined

Deutz head of design Dr Paul Grzeschik said: “We have already developed a production-ready hydrogen engine – the TCG 7.8 H2 – so we are able to contribute our expertise in driving forward the development of hydrogen engines for the off-highway sector.”

The PoWer project partners will use vehicle concept studies and analysis of fleet and infrastructure systems to evaluate off-highway applications, develop exhaust gas after-treatment concepts and investigate how hydrogen affects materials, friction and wear characteristics.

These studies will inform the needs of hydrogen-fuelled engines in meeting off-highway demands for robust, reliable and durable engines that will meet future emissions standards.

Joint venture

JCB, meanwhile, has formed an alliance to manufacture essential distribution equipment to help support its £100m, hydrogen-fuelled combustion engine project.

Starting in 2025 at a facility in Oxfordshire, the joint-venture business Hykit will build mobile compressors, storage solutions and refuelling systems.

“JCB has proven that hydrogen can be a fuel of the future for construction and agricultural machinery, without any of the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuels,” says chairman Lord Bamford.

“A key ingredient is getting the right infrastructure in place and Hykit’s launch shows we are serious about the hydrogen economy and serious about having UK-engineered equipment to get this industry moving.”

JCB’s partner is the HydraB group, chaired by Jo Bamford, which encompasses hydrogen distribution company Ryze Power, hydrogen producer Hygen Energy, and public transportation specialist Wrightbus.

Jo Bamford said: “We are putting the ecosystem in place to help businesses realise that hydrogen is a vital part of the UK’s energy mix.”

In addition to an ongoing engine test programme using backhoe loaders and telescopic handlers, JCB has previewed a hydrogen-fuelled generator.

This could be reserved for backup use or to keep a battery power pack charged up on green energy ready to be deployed to battery-electric powered machines and static farm equipment.