BE REALISTIC AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU MEASURE THE REAL IMPACT OF GOING ELECTRIC

Global Highways Magazine - GLOBAL REPORT CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT & TECHNOLOGY 2023

It’s vitally important to measure the real impact of going electric says Mats Bredborg, Head of Customer Cluster Utility at Volvo Construction Equipment. In 2021, the construction industry accounted for around 35% of energy and process-related CO2 emissions according to a report by the UN Environment Programme. Our industry plays a vital role in healthy economies, but it must play its part in cutting emissions and pushing for a more sustainable way of working of course. What does going electric really entail?

It’s clear that sweeping change is needed if we are to collectively transform the highway construction, maintenance and utility works industries and we understand the complex challenges that lie ahead for customers ... from materials choice and production technology, to supply chains and transport.

As we all know, steps are being taken already, and there are solutions available today that can significantly reduce emissions. Electric machines are one of these solutions and they are growing in popularity. No longer just a vision for the future, they are in operation today on sites across the world in a wide variety of different applications including highway maintenance and utility work. Aside from being zero emission, they are also quieter, helping meet ever-stricter air pollution and noise disturbance regulations. Whilst many customers understand the benefits offered by electric machines, concerns about cost and performance can be a stumbling block towards adoption. Changing the way we measure their impact is one solution to help pave the way for wider uptake.

We need to look beyond the initial purchase or rental cost for an electric machine, which in many cases may well be higher than for a conventional machine equivalent and dig a little deeper to uncover equally important benefits that we can and should be measuring. Cost to operate, the reduction in CO2, health and safety benefits for operators and passers-by, their ease of use, operator feedback and of course, their ability to get the job done. Measuring their impact is something that Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has been doing in its own assessment projects… and the following results may come as something of a surprise:

COST INCREASE IS MARGINAL

Electric machines are often considered prohibitively expensive from an upfront capital cost point of view. It’s important however, to look at the full picture. Fuel costs and servicing are traditionally significant contributors to the operating costs of construction machines. With no engine to service and no need for diesel – the cost of which is at an all-time high – electric machines can be cheaper to run. We found a less than 1% increase in project costs to use electric machines over diesel. Whilst the initial rental price was higher, the cost of electricity to power the machines was much lower than the price of diesel.

Add in reduced maintenance and the cost savings from machine idling time – which is eliminated with electric machines - and suddenly the cost for electric machines becomes more favourable.

Energy costs and CO2 saved over 11 weeks

KINDER ON THE POCKET AND THE PLANET

Arguably the strongest and most widely understood argument for electric machines is the reduction in CO2 emissions they deliver. If the road construction industry is to get to grips with its CO2 contributions, electric machines offer a ready-made solution, especially when they are powered by renewable energy.

On an 11-week project to install electric charging stations, electric machines used in place of their diesel counterparts saved an impressive 3,000kg in CO2 emissions. That’s equivalent to taking 17 cars off the road for a month.

QUIET PLEASE

Noise pollution still constitutes a major environmental health concern in Europe, being a problem for 1 in 5 EU citizens. Directives to reduce environmental noise are becoming increasingly stringent, necessitating construction sites to implement preventative measures like acoustic barriers and providing workers with personal protective equipment (PPE). Eliminating noisy processes is the best way to deal with noise on a construction site.

Using electric equipment in place of traditional diesel engines delivers a noticeable reduction in ambient noise and pollution. The noise levels from electric machines are around 20% lower than for diesel machines, making them ideal for use in busy inner city and urban environments, outside schools, shops, offices and hospitals for example, where noise regulations may be toughest.

They also allow work to continue later into the night or begin earlier in the morning, helping to get the job done faster and delivering cost savings. Operators, too, benefit from the lower noise levels making work more comfortable and allowing them to communicate more easily with site managers and other site staff without the need to shout or shut down the machines. Better communication also has a positive impact on health and safety on site.

Reduction of 3,000* kg of CO2 for an additional project cost of less than a percentage

COMPARABLE – OR IN SOME CASES BETTER – PERFORMANCE

Electric machines are based on conventional construction design, with just the electric components replacing the diesel engine. This means comparable performance to the diesel versions. In fact, the controls themselves are identical to a diesel-powered machine. Once operators adapt to the charging requirements, any reluctance is overcome, and they quickly realize electric machines can get the job done in just the same way as their traditional diesel counterparts but with zero emissions. And with less noise they can communicate more effectively without having to halt operations to discuss the job at hand, meaning it can be completed more efficiently, with less room for confusion or errors and creating a safer work environment for everyone. In fact, feedback is usually so positive electric machines become the operator’s choice.

PAVING THE WAY FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE WAYS OF WORKING

Being more sustainable is achievable without compromising on performance or profitability. For what can be marginal cost increases on a project, it is possible to radically transform highway construction operations. The world is changing and we need to adapt and find more sustainable ways of working. With their zero-emission operation, electric machines offer a transformative solution for the highway construction sector to significantly reduce its carbon emissions. Climate-saving choices exist already today. Adopting these now will pave the way for new innovations and initiatives in the future. Together we can play our part to deliver a more sustainable construction future. ?

Voice of the Customer - Before and after project survey

Having spent more than 30 years with the Volvo Group, based in Europe, Asia and the Americas, Mats Bredborg has been at the centre of the great technical transformation that construction equipment has undergone. In his latest role with the company, Mats has become a global influencer, championing the many benefits (and undoubted challenges) of what is without doubt the industry’s biggest and most ambitious challenge yet: the transition toward electromobility.