Decarbonisation solutions at the Site Sustainability Showcase at Plantworx 2025

From hydrogen and hybrid systems to fully electric heavy plant and solar, the Site Sustainability Showcase at PlantWorx Construction Exhibition  2025 highlighted practical decarbonisation solutions across the construction sector.

In this walkaround, Peter Haddock discovered the latest innovations with Luis Bassett, Decarbonisation and Sustainability manager at the Construction Plant-hire Association

Luis: “Battery systems are becoming really popular in the UK market. You can pair them with generators to create hybrid solutions or use them to buffer grid connections. Combine that with solar, and you’re reducing engine on time and cutting carbon significantly.”

The showcase also highlighted industry wide collaboration under Element One, with partners including @Flannery Plant Hire Plantforce, GeoPura, ULEMCo Ltd, and BAM UK & Ireland, all driving hydrogen innovation into real world applications.

Luis: “Hydrogen combustion has great prospects. Residual value is a big factor for our members, and hydrogen gas engines could offer that balance. The challenge now is bringing fuel costs down and ensuring a reliable supply to the site.”

“It’s about picking good use cases. You need significant power for big machines, but for smaller equipment or intermittent operations, like rollers, overnight charging and modest infrastructure can make all the difference.”

“One of our biggest challenges is ensuring sites have the right power infrastructure so we can just switch over to electric when we arrive.”

The showcase also demonstrated modular welfare units with integrated solar and wind systems from Nixon Hire, showing how small design changes can bring major operational gains.

Concluding, Luis said: “We can’t always use zero emission kit. So drop in fuels like sustainably sourced HVO will have a role to play for decades. The key is using every available technology to cut consumption and improve efficiency now.”

Thanks to the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) team and Joanna Oliver MBE for helping to put the showcase together, and all those that participated, including:

Prolectric Services Ltd , Certas Energy, Reynolds Logistics, Skanska, BRE, City Lifting Limited, Camfaud Concrete Pumps Ltd, Faresin Industries S.p.a, Select Plant Hire, Ammann Group, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage, Komatsu Europe, Volvo Penta, DF Capital, and Supply Chain Sustainability School (UK).