Torque of Tomorrow: Fuelling Heavy Machinery Beyond Diesel

Diesel engines in bulldozers, mining trucks, and agricultural machinery—each consuming over a megawatt-hour of fuel daily—are getting a new fuel injection system for alcohol-based fuels, alongside a mobile hydrogen compressor for on-site refuelling. These off-highway machines operate in remote locations where electric batteries are impractical and hydrogen refuelling stations do not exist. They must run continuously with maximum uptime, yet they currently rely on diesel, a major source of carbon emissions. The project addresses a gap in engineering: no commercially viable, zero-carbon powertrain exists for heavy machinery that works far from grid infrastructure. If successful, the project will demonstrate an alcohol-fuelled heavy-duty engine and a compressor that can fill hydrogen tanks in the field. An AI model trained to assess test parts will speed up durability testing, reducing the number of physical prototypes needed. The work will also upgrade UK facilities into a Centre of Excellence for engineering services. The immediate impact is on construction, mining, and agriculture—industries that quietly underpin supply chains, infrastructure, and food production. A practical, decarbonised fuel system for these machines would cut emissions from a sector that has so far been difficult to electrify.