The Business Case for Hydrogen–Diesel Blending
How operators lower diesel use and carbon intensity without CapEx or operational risk
Hydrogen’s challenge has never been ambition, it’s been execution. Hydrogen is widely recognized as a critical component of long-term industrial decarbonization. Yet despite years of discussion, real-world adoption has remained limited. The reason is not a lack of interest, but a lack of commercially viable pathways. Traditional hydrogen projects often require significant upfront capital, introduce new infrastructure and safety considerations, and ask operators to take performance risk before any value is proven. For businesses that depend on reliability, uptime, and predictable margins, these hurdles are difficult to justify.
Hydrogen–diesel blending addresses this gap by changing how hydrogen is applied — and how it is paid for.
Improving Diesel, Not Replacing It
H59-D Autonomous™ Hydrogen–diesel blending does not attempt to displace diesel or force a wholesale change in equipment. Instead, it enhances diesel combustion by introducing precisely metered hydrogen at the point of combustion. Diesel remains the primary fuel in the H59-D Autonomous™ design.
The result is lower diesel consumption per unit of work and a corresponding reduction in carbon intensity (Subject to Project Environment / CI Model), achieved without altering how engines are operated or maintained. Crucially, diesel-only operation is always preserved. If hydrogen is unavailable at any time, the equipment continues running exactly as it does today. This ensures blending improves performance without introducing dependency.
Designed for Real Operating Conditions
H59-D Autonomous™ is purpose-built for industrial and heavy-duty applications where conditions are variable, and uptime is critical. Hydrogen injection is automated and continuously adjusted, requiring no operator input. There is no engine replacement, no drivetrain modification, and no change to standard operating procedures.
From the operator’s perspective, the equipment behaves exactly as it always has — with the added benefit of improved fuel efficiency. This distinction is important. Many hydrogen solutions struggle because they ask operators to adapt their operations around the technology. Hydrogen–diesel blending reverses that relationship by adapting to the operation itself.
Why the Delivery Model Matters as Much as the Technology
Even the most effective technology will fail to scale if the commercial model does not align with how businesses manage risk. This is where hydrogen–diesel blending fundamentally differs from traditional hydrogen approaches.
H59-D Autonomous™ is delivered by ESSNA™ under its Hydrogen On-site without CAPEX™ model. Rather than purchasing equipment, operators receive hydrogen–diesel blending as a service. ESSNA™ owns, installs, operates, and maintains the system, and hydrogen is supplied as part of the solution. Costs are based on an agreed price per hour of operating time.
This shifts hydrogen from a capital decision to an operating expense, aligned directly with usage and performance. There is no upfront investment, no stranded infrastructure, and no long-term capital exposure tied to uncertain utilization. Operators only pay for hydrogen when it is being used to deliver value.
Preserving Operational Certainty
Operational risk is a primary concern for any industrial operator. Hydrogen–diesel blending is designed to minimize that risk at every stage. Diesel fallback is always available, hydrogen is not required to keep equipment running, and ESSNA™ remains responsible for system performance, maintenance, and uptime.
If operating conditions change or if the hydrogen supply is interrupted, operations continue uninterrupted. This makes hydrogen–diesel blending a reversible efficiency upgrade rather than a permanent commitment, allowing operators to improve performance without locking themselves into a rigid energy strategy.
Proven Before Deployment with EMAP™
Before hydrogen is ever introduced, ESSNA™ applies Energy Modelling and Advanced Planning™ (EMAP™) to each application. EMAP™ models real operating conditions and duty cycles to quantify expected diesel efficiency burn and identify where hydrogen creates measurable commercial value. This ensures blending is only deployed where it makes sense, aligning expectations and preventing underperforming installations.
A Practical Step Toward Lower Carbon Intensity
Hydrogen–diesel blending succeeds because it works within the realities of industrial operations. It delivers immediate efficiency improvements, lowers diesel expense and reduces carbon intensity without requiring new assets, new behaviours, or new capital.
H59-D Autonomous™ provides a pragmatic, low-risk pathway to hydrogen — one that improves today’s operations while supporting longer-term energy transition goals. Delivered under ESSNA™’s Hydrogen On-site without CAPEX™ model, it allows operators to capture real value from hydrogen without gambling on your core business.
