The end of diesel on the building site
Picture this: a building site in the centre of Amsterdam. No roaring diesel engines, no soot particles settling on parked cars, no complaining neighbours. Instead: a soft hum and water vapour. This is no longer a distant dream. This is the hydrogen revolution taking place right now.
Through its H2 Platform, TU Delft has more than 200 researchers working on over 50 hydrogen projects. Their mission: to position the Netherlands as a "Hydrogen Accelerator". The focus is on improving electrolysis, the process in which water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using (green) electricity.
"Green hydrogen is crucial for virtually every sustainable energy scenario. It will become the universal feedstock for industry and the fuel of the future."
How does a hydrogen generator work?
A hydrogen generator, also known as an H2 Power Unit, combines a fuel cell with hydrogen storage. Companies such as HYGRO have developed systems that integrate a Toyota fuel cell into a mobile, compact unit.
Zero emissions
Only water vapour as exhaust. No CO2, no nitrogen, no particulates.
Whisper quiet
No combustion engine. Ideal for inner-city projects and events.
Scalable
From 250 kVA to several megawatts. Can be run in parallel with other units.
Legislation is forcing change
With the introduction of the Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet), municipalities are obliged to take adequate measures to reduce nitrogen emissions on building sites. "Clean and emission-free construction" is no longer an ambition. It is a requirement.
Stage V emission standards have already raised the bar considerably for diesel generators. But hydrogen goes further: it eliminates the discussion entirely. No soot filters to replace, no AdBlue, no emission calculations.
In practice: where do we stand now?
Watermeln and HYGRO already offer operational hydrogen generators with capacities of up to 250 kVA and hydrogen containers that can store up to 12 MWh per delivery. The infrastructure is growing: more and more filling stations and hydrogen hubs are appearing in the Netherlands.
The cost? Still higher than diesel. But the trend is downward. National and European funds are investing hundreds of millions of euros in hydrogen research. Scale is on its way.
What does this mean for Homan?
We are following developments closely. As soon as hydrogen generators offer the same reliability and availability as our current fleet, we are ready to make the switch.
The future is now
The hydrogen revolution is not a distant dream. It is a transition happening right now. For festivals that want no noise nuisance, for builders who have to work in emission-free zones, for companies that want to shrink their carbon footprint.
At Homan we believe in progress that works. Not technology for its own sake, but solutions that make your work easier, cleaner and quieter. The hydrogen future is coming. We are ready for it.