ACCIONA has begun operations in Chile of the country’s first zero-emissions power generator based on hydrogen fuel cell technology, following approval from the Superintendencia de Electricidad y Combustibles (SEC).
The pioneering initiative is part of a pilot project aimed at replacing conventional diesel generators with emissions-free energy solutions at construction sites. The equipment is currently being tested at the Carén reservoir expansion project, developed by ACCIONA for the El Teniente Division of Codelco, one of the world’s largest copper producers.
The generator was developed and manufactured by French company EODev and is distributed in Chile by KH2. It is the first hydrogen-based system deployed in the country for off-grid power supply, marking a milestone for clean energy integration in construction and mining-related infrastructure projects.
According to ACCIONA, the deployment of this technology will allow the quarterly reduction of 5,067 litres of fossil fuel consumption, preventing the emission of approximately 13.6 tonnes of CO₂ over the same period.
With this initiative, ACCIONA becomes the first construction company in Chile to incorporate zero-emissions hydrogen generation technology, reinforcing its strategy to reduce the environmental footprint of its projects and accelerate the decarbonisation of construction activities.
The company highlights that cutting emissions from on-site electricity supply is becoming increasingly critical across the global construction sector. As a result, the adoption of innovative technologies that support low-carbon and net-zero construction sites is now a strategic priority for ACCIONA worldwide.
ACCIONA has already built significant experience with hydrogen fuel cell power systems in previous projects. During the construction of the North III Penitentiary Complex in San Sebastián, Spain, the company successfully operated a tower crane using a portable zero-emissions hydrogen generator. In another project, the New Access Road to Alcalá del Valle in Cádiz, ACCIONA deployed a hydrogen fuel cell generator supplied with green methanol reformed on-site.
More recently, in 2024, ACCIONA acquired a GEH2® zero-emissions hydrogen generator after testing it during the expansion works of the Centenario Bridge in Seville, becoming the first Spanish construction company to integrate this type of hydrogen-based power technology into an active construction project.
