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Running heavy machinery in a quarry environment is a dirty business, involving massive diesel trucks belching out exhaust fumes. But it doesn't have to be. Volvo Construction Equipment has teamed up with Skanska to viability test its Electric Site concept. The project will run for 10 weeks at the latter's Vikan Kross quarry, where Volvo's electric and autonomous machinery will do their thing in a real production environment.
Each transport stage at the test site will be electrified – "from excavation to primary crushing, and transport to secondary crushing" – though Volvo admits that a small amount of diesel will still be used at the Electric Site, which is located near Gothenburg in Sweden. Skanska's working quarry produces materials for the construction industry, including asphalt and cement, and the test operation will run at the same level as it did before the electric heavy machinery rolled in. But it's expected to reduce carbon emissions by up to 95 percent and, equally as important, shave 25 percent off running costs too.
25% is a big reduction in running costs. If it does materialize, it will serve as an important incentive for industry to eliminate fossil fuels from their operations.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 07 2018, @02:08AM (1 child)
Read something in a trade mag a few weeks ago about another company making battery powered construction equipment, so this could be a thing in the fairly near future. Sorry, was not able to find the link.
Watched an arborist (tree pruner) working from a diesel-electric hybrid bucket lift a couple of weeks ago. This guy turned on the engine (or it turned on by itself) when the machine moved on its tracks. Once the base was positioned and the outriggers were extended, moving the bucket around the tall tree was nearly silent, powered by electric motors running off the batteries. The loudest noise was his chainsaw.
It wasn't this brand, but something very similar -- https://www.jlg.com/en/equipment/electric-hybrid-boom-lifts [jlg.com]
I guess this is the new thing. I remember when arborists used to climb trees with ropes. I got to know one years ago who would not use a ladder, said they were unsafe! He was happy in a 60 foot (~20 meter) tall tree with his ropes and climbing spikes.
(Score: 2) by aclarke on Friday September 07 2018, @03:34PM
It seems to me that commercial fleets would be all over this kind of technology. It's not like heavy equipment is replaced every year, so maybe I'm just seeing it infiltrate local inventory slower than I'd anticipated.