THE INFORMATION CONTAINED WITHIN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS DEEMED BY THE COMPANY TO CONSTITUTE INSIDE INFORMATION AS STIPULATED UNDER ARTICLE 7 OF THE EU REGULATION 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF THE UK LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 ("MAR"). UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT VIA A REGULATORY INFORMATION SERVICE, THIS INFORMATION IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

Monday 20 June 2022

AFC Energy PLC

("AFC Energy" or the "Company")

Kier Pioneers Zero Emission Hydrogen Fuel Cell System for UK Construction Site   

Highlights

·    The lease will provide a basis for a longer-term collaboration with the aim of delivering additional fuel cell systems in 2023.

Kier has a carbon reduction target to reach Net Zero by 2045, for both business operations and value chain carbon and this includes the transition away from on-site fossil fuel power generators. 

Kier and AFC Energy are today announcing a partnership that will see a clean Hydrogen power generator unit, utilising AFC Energy's new Hybrid Fuel Cell ("HFC") technology, being deployed at a Kier construction site in the South West.  The zero emission HFC generators will offset power currently provided by diesel generators, reducing the overall carbon footprint of the Kier site. 

The decision to lease AFC Energy's system is driven not only by a desire to show immediate leadership in the decarbonisation of UK construction sites and improve air quality around urban construction sites, but also as a consequence of rising and uncertain diesel costs with geopolitical events impacting fossil fuel prices across the world.    

AFC Energy has agreed to source and supply Hydrogen to Kier on commercial terms with support provided to Kier to operate the system on a day-to-day basis.  The agreement also sets an opportunity for the two companies to explore a longer-term commercial partnership across multiple UK sites with potential deployment of additional fuel cell systems in 2023.   

This deployment of AFC Energy's next generation HFC system continues to highlight the growing and immediate need for construction and temporary power operators displace diesel generators with zero emission power systems as part of a portfolio approach to industry's decarbonisation.           

Chris Lilley, health, safety, wellbeing and sustainability director at Kier Group, said:

"This upcoming trial further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and finding innovative solutions that will reduce our carbon footprint and help our clients and customers deliver against their targets too.

"To meet our net zero carbon targets outlined in our Building for a Sustainable World framework, it's crucial that we continue to work with credible supply chain partners and trial new innovations. Following on from the trial in the South West, we will assess other sites that we can use the Power Tower on."

Adam Bond, Chief Executive Officer at AFC Energy, said: 

"We are delighted to be partnering with Kier in support of their decarbonisation initiatives here in the UK through deployment of our hydrogen fuel cell technology. Contractors and plant hire businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse emissions and improve air quality; we are confident that our hydrogen fuel cells will play an important role in delivering a Net Zero UK construction industry." 

For further information, please contact:

About AFC Energy

AFC Energy plc is commercialising scalable "fuel flexible" fuel cell systems, to provide clean electricity for on and off grid applications. The technology, pioneered over the past twelve years in the UK, is now deployable in electric vehicle chargers, off-grid decentralised power systems and data centre applications with emerging opportunities across maritime and rail as part of a portfolio approach to the decarbonisation of local electricity needs.

About Kier Group plc

Kier is a leading UK infrastructure services and construction group.  We provide specialist design and build capabilities and the knowledge, skills and intellectual capital of our people ensure we are able to project manage and integrate all aspects of a project.