UK business hits milestone on hydrogen lighting towers

Sales director Joe Ambor (left) and operations and development director Jim Irvine (right). Photo: TCP

UK-based manufacturer and plant hire company TCP Group has reached the milestone of operating a fleet of 500 hydrogen fuel-cell mobile lighting towers.

The product of a 2010 partnership between TCP and UK gas provider BOC, the TCP Ecolite TH200 is powered by a HYMERA fuel cell that is said to create green energy from a chemical reaction between bottled hydrogen and oxygen in the surrounding air. 

The partnership replaces diesel fuel with hydrogen fuel-cells in lighting towers with the aim of transforming lighting solutions for site operations.

At the same time, the unit is fitted with Prismalence lenses, which is said to create “controlled light distribution”, low glare and good visbility. 

IRN was told that the majority of the 500 units available for rent, which are all manufactured by TCP, have been converted from old diesel-powered units.

Jim Irvine, operations and development director, TCP Group, said, “The TCP Ecolite TH200 (hydrogen fuel-cell mobile lighting tower) is an increasingly popular choice where temporary lighting is required and as companies look for clean energy solutions to reduce carbon emissions. We have an ever-growing demand for this particular lighting tower, and we committed to the provision of 500 towers by July 2024.

“With large infrastructure projects moving forward, such as Sizewell C and the Lower Thames Crossing, this temporary lighting solution is the No.1 choice, as they are silent running, no spill risk and zero emission at point of use.”

Joe Ambor, sales director, TCP Group, added, “We have steadily grown the fleet of hydrogen mobile lighting towers in recent years. As a company faithful to recycling where possible, we have remanufactured hundreds of our diesel-powered lighting towers to use hydrogen fuel-cells and gas cylinders.

“Our added value is to provide a fully managed gas service. Gas usage is monitored remotely and when a hydrogen gas cylinder needs exchanging, the TCP team make arrangements with the customer to replace the empty cylinder with a full one and then take the empty one away.”

As well as the TCP Ecolite TH200, BOC and TCP have also collaborated on other lighting towers powered by hydrogen. The companies have also produced a range of generators powered by fuel cell technology.