FAQs

Looking generally at what is a hydrogen generator, it’s a machine that uses pure hydrogen for clean power generation – it combines a hydrogen engine with an alternator to produce electrical energy. Generators are used on sites where there is no access to electricity, or to provide backup power in-case of grid interruptions.

More specifically, the JCB G60RSH hydrogen generator is powered by the pioneering 55kW JCB hydrogen combustion engine, to produce up to 60kVA of electrical power. When paired with the JCB 3-Phase Powerpack, a ‘microgrid’ is created where the generator acts as a battery charger. This hybrid set-up can reduce the runtime of the generator by up to 80%. So when it comes to what is a hydrogen generator used for, the JCB G60RS H is used as a battery charger – allowing sites to run for longer, for less fuel costs.

Yes, it’s made possible by mixing the hydrogen with air and compressing it in the engine’s cylinders. Then a spark plug ignites the mixture to cause a controlled explosion, which generates mechanical power to drive the engine’s piston and power a device or vehicle.

So is a hydrogen combustion engine possible? Yes, more than just possible…11 licensing authorities across Europe have now given permission for JCB’s hydrogen engine to be sold across Europe, and JCB’s hydrogen engine has already won the Royal Automobile Club’s Dewar Trophy: one of the oldest and most prestigious awards in British Automotive Engineering. 

Hydrogen consists of two tiny particles, a proton and electron all invisible to the human eye – so it’s understandable why ‘what is hydrogen made of’ is such a common question. Under ordinary conditions, it’s a loose aggregation of hydrogen molecules, which each consist of just two atoms – and takes the form of a colourless, non-toxic and highly combustible gas. These facts about hydrogen that make it ideal as a sustainable source of fuel for our hydrogen combustion engine, hydrogen generator and hydrogen machines. It’s super-efficient, highly abundant and produces no carbon as part of the combustion process – so represents the fastest way to meet the UK’s zero-emissions targets.

The JCB hydrogen engine is a 4.8L, 55kW (74hp). The engineering team have worked hard to ensure that the performance matches, or in some cases exceeds, the performance of the current 55kW JCB diesel engine. The hydrogen engine delivers the same power, and the same torque, and consequently hydrogen combustion machines perform the same on the jobsite and feel the same to operate as their diesel counterparts.

JCB hydrogen engines are built on the production line in our UK engine factory in Derbyshire, where over 40,000 JCB diesel engines are assembled per year. The team is Derbyshire has been working on the design and development of the engine for over 3 years, and over 23,000hrs of testing has been completed in the on-site test cells.

Over 130 hydrogen engines have now been built, which are powering backhoe loaders, Loadall telescopic handlers and generator sets. Over 50,000 hours of testing has now been between machines and test cells, proving that JCB hydrogen engines and machines are reliable, durable, and efficient. We’ve invested £100 million in JCB Hydrogen, because we’re always looking for a better way.

Plant insurance goes by several different names which often mean similar things, including engineering insurance, contractors' insurance or contractors all risk insurance. However it's referred to, it covers your equipment against accidental damage, fire and theft to protect against the financial implication of these circumstances. It's usually valid anywhere in the UK - including while in transit - and is also available for equipment you're hiring in to cover you while it's in your possession.

In short, hydrogen is a chemical element – the simplest and most abundant in the universe. When considering ‘what is hydrogen’ in terms of states of matter, it takes the form of a gas under standard conditions. And as an extremely responsive element, it can combine with other elements to form more complex compounds (i.e. H2O – otherwise known as water.) Some more facts about hydrogen include: 

• It constitutes approximately 75% of all normal matter.
• Its name is derived from Greek words meaning ‘maker of water’.
• It has the highest energy density by mass.

When it comes to how is hydrogen fuel made, it is currently produced at scale around the world for a number of industrial processes, including refining, fertiliser production, steel manufacturing, and glass production. So if you’re thinking ‘how is hydrogen made,’ production is via several methods, and hydrogen is typically denoted a colour dependent on the method used.

Green hydrogen is produced in an electrolyser by splitting water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O), using renewable electricity. This process is called electrolysis. The hydrogen is then compressed, and transported for use in our machines.

JCB is proving out the process with customers in the UK. Hydrogen is produced at Tyseley Park in Birmingham, and then transported to site where JCB machines are at work. All we need now is more Tyseley’s to provide zero carbon fuel to machines working in all corners of the world. 

As a renowned broker, JCB Insurance offers a complete broking facility to all areas of the construction industry, including plant hire. This means we can take care of plant and machinery insurance for any make or model of machine - whether it's a single piece of equipment or a multi-million pound fleet.

If you'd like to request a long or short-term JCB plant hire insurance quote, just click here or give us a call on 0800 1412877 for more information.

Construction sites are full of highly specialised, very expensive equipment - so it's essential you have plant and machinery insurance in place to protect you against any potential issues. Given the intense nature of the work these machines are doing, even the most rugged, robust models are open to accidental damage - and their high cost could invite theft, especially if construction sites aren't fully secure. 

Therefore it's vital to have plant machinery insurance that covers against accidental damage, theft and fire - just like the services offered by JCB Insurance.