A wheel loader powered by green hydrogen is being put through its paces at a quarry in Austria to pilot the switch from diesel fuel to a zero carbon alternative.
The switch to hydrogen fuel has the potential to save up to 37,500 litres of diesel or around 100 tonnes of CO2 per year, say the partners behind the project, which is being trialled at Gratkorn quarry in Styria, Austria.
STRABAG is working with partners Liebherr, and Energie Steiermark on the project; exploring alternative power-train technologies as considered an important building block in reducing he construction sector’s emissions.
Klemens Haselsteiner, STRABAG’s chief executive, said: “We want to become climate neutral by 2040. And we will only achieve this goal with a resolute commitment to lower carbon emissions across the board – in the operation of our construction machinery, for example.
“We are delighted to have Liebherr and Energie Steiermark at our side, two partners whose expertise is helping us to develop and test innovative power-train solutions. Together, we are exploring the future potential of hydrogen power-trains here in Styria.”
Marco Xaver Bornschlegl, head of the central division STRABAG innovation and digitalisation, added: “Fuels are the biggest source of carbon emissions in our company. And construction machinery accounts for a large part of our consumption. New, low-emission fuel solutions are therefore a key lever for effectively reducing emissions. The findings from the pilot project will also be used for other applications and to emphasise our pioneering role in this field.”
Leonore Gewessler, Austria’s federal minister for climate action and environment, was a guest of honour at the official launch of the pilot. During a tour of the quarry, she was given a demonstration of the wheel loader in operation. The minister sees innovation as a clear competitive advantage.
She said: “Green hydrogen is an indispensable part of our energy future. It enables parts of industry to switch to climate-friendly production, which secures and creates jobs. As an important and valuable energy source, it helps – especially in industry – to replace fossil natural gas from Russia and beyond. I am delighted that innovative companies are driving forward pilot projects such as this, particularly in the hard-to-electrify mobility and construction sectors.”
STRABAG is drawing on the experience of Liebherr to deliver the technology. The construction machinery manufacturer recently unveiled a wheel loader with a hydrogen engine.
Hydrogen power
Herbert Pfab, technical managing director of Liebherr-Werk Bischofshofen GmbH, said: “Hydrogen engines make it possible to also operate large vehicles that are difficult to electrify due to their high energy requirements at completely zero-carbon conditions.”
The hydrogen engines are manufactured at the engine production facility of Liebherr-Component Technologies in Bulle, Switzerland. The engines will enable zero-emission certification for the machinery with regard to CO2, and will also fulfil the zero-emission limits for nitrogen oxides, currently in preparation.
STRABAG and Liebherr will be testing the wheel loader in daily operation over a trial period lasting several years. STRABAG has already created the proper conditions for the test by setting up the necessary infrastructure at its Kanzelsteinsteinbruch quarry in Gratkorn.
The development of the hydrogen wheel loader was just one challenge; ensuring a reliable supply of green hydrogen to the quarry was another demanding task for those involved. That’s where Energie Steiermark’s expertise comes in.
Martin Graf, member of the board of Energie Steiermark, said: “Hydrogen is a key component of the energy transition. With our production plant for green hydrogen in Gabersdorf, we have established the basis for supplying regional industrial customers. Realising this pioneering project together with STRABAG and Liebherr not only strengthens our position as a local sustainability partner, but also helps to put Styria on the map in this respect.”
Main image: (Left to right) Klemens Haselsteiner, chief executive, STRABAG; Leonore Gewessler, federal minister for climate action, environment, energy, mobility, innovation and technology; Jan Liebherr, president of the administrative board of Liebherr-International AG; Martin Graf, managing director, Energie Steiermark. Copyright: STRABAG
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