Kirsty Chappell is the Plant Manager at O’Brien Contractors
Across industries, organizations and individuals are making changes to support a positive future for the planet. In particular, the construction sector has made significant improvements in recent years, with the use of reused materials, waste reduction and carbon offsets (both in construction and operation) while contributing to reducing the ‘impact of the sector on the environment.
Although the ban on the sale of new vehicles with petrol and diesel combustion engines has been brought forward to 2035, a large-scale change must be made if the UK is to meet its target, and the industry of construction, with its machinery and heavy plants and transport needs. , is no exception.
“Given the power and energy demands of heavy plant and machinery, the transition to electric or hydrogen power poses a unique set of challenges”
While all-electric vehicles have come to the forefront of consumer consciousness, the same remains to be said for the construction industry. Given the power and energy demands of heavy plant and machinery, the transition to electric or hydrogen power poses a unique set of challenges.
One of the first challenges to overcome is the strength of technology that runs on batteries or hydrogen. The plant’s machinery requires a considerably larger amount of energy than smaller vehicles, meaning a significant advance in battery capacity and hydrogen-powered machinery is needed not only to run the machinery, but to ensure that it holds the charge and can be charged and powered efficiently. .
The costs of new technologies
For these advances to be feasible, the cost implications must be seriously considered: contractors should not be paid with electric or hydrogen equipment. While it is impossible to avoid upfront costs, especially while the technology is new to the market, the affordability of these advances must be considered if widespread change is to occur.
Several sustainable solutions are already in use in the construction industry, including hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) to power some heavy goods vehicles, and a number of contractors investing in hybrid excavators. However, due to current technological limitations, there is much work to be done before contractors can “go off diesel completely”.
As in all sectors, parties need to be aware of the goals at hand, and that stricter regulation could be on the horizon, encouraging a shift towards greener alternatives. While smaller interim changes go a long way in supporting everyday steps towards net zero emissions by 2050, manufacturers, developers and contractors must take a long-term approach to ensure that research and development (R&D) are alternatives. solutions is effective.
working together
While these changes are long-awaited, it will likely take several years, or even decades, for a full transition to sustainable feed plants and equipment. If this process is to be carried out quickly and clean technologies become the norm, collaboration between contractors, developers, manufacturers and government agencies is crucial.
This will require all parties to share R&D progress, creating collective knowledge of best practices and experiences. This collaborative approach will also accelerate the development of more powerful and efficient sustainable construction machinery.
The construction sector’s path to a diesel-free future is certainly challenging, but not impossible. As technology advances and collaborative efforts gain momentum, electric and hydrogen machinery will become a reality, setting an example for other industries.
