Electric construction equipment for building and demolition

When Stockholm City made a demand for a 100% fossil fuel free site in the transformation of a 100-year-old site called Slakthusområdet in Sweden, Volvo CE came with the solutions. A 23-ton Volvo EC230 Electric excavator with zero exhaust emissions supported the excavation work moving thousands of cubic metres of soil and rock. Generally the machine had enough power to last a full day with charging taking place overnight, but when a top-up was required, the customer took advantage of fast charging via a Volvo PU500 mobile power unit during work breaks.

With low noise and zero exhaust emissions, electric solutions are ideal to help reduce the environmental impact of construction in an urban application, like Slakthusområdet. At the halfway point of the project, 1,808 tons of CO₂ have been reduced - the same as is produced every year by about 180 Swedish people. The use of electric equipment accounts for 421 tons. The mid-way results of this project show that low carbon construction sites are not just for the future, they are already here in action today helping to deliver a more pleasant, productive and sustainable built environment.

It is clear that we need to work together to be successful in the electric transition. In this pioneering fossil fuel free site, Stockholm City, Volvo CE and contractor Skanska prove this point and set a benchmark for others to follow. It is a partnership that puts sustainability at its heart from the very start - with tender requirements that not only insisted on a 100% fossil fuel free site, but also 10% electric operation and the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100) for other working machines as well as for transport to and from the site. It is hoped that other municipalities will be encouraged by this approach and seek to ensure that the building sector takes advantage of innovative solutions like electric construction equipment to reduce its carbon impact.

One of the best ways to ensure electric construction equipment is prioritised in the building sector is when it is listed as a requirement in public procurement. Take for example the construction of a new preschool in Östersund, Sweden, where the local municipality included a goal for 95% of all machines and tools used on site to be electric. Including this zero emission target in the bidding process resulted in a close collaboration between project partners to make this happen. This one pledge is estimated to save around 64 tons of CO₂ emissions on this project.

Manufacturing battery cells on a large scale is a key part of Volvo Group’s electromobility strategy - to ensure it has the power needed to deliver holistic electric transport and infrastructure solutions. Starting as the project means to go on, Volvo’s electric construction equipment is helping to build this new battery plant in Mariestad, Sweden. It is an important step to meet growing demand for high-performing batteries and support the company’s overall ambition for truly sustainable transport solutions.

An L25 Electric wheel loader has been working to transform a brick factory into a wood furniture factory. Due to a requirement to work both inside and outside the factory, the customer in Romania chose the zero exhaust emission wheel loader to carry out a variety of tasks. The machine’s lack of exhaust fumes and near silence made it an ideal solution for the supplying of raw materials and handling large finished products. With low maintenance and reduced operating and production costs, the L25 Electric was not only a more sustainable choice, but a more cost-effective one.

Not only are the specifications of an electric machine almost identical to its diesel variant, but there are a number of other advantages that make them the ideal solutions for building and demolition. Electric construction equipment delivers zero exhaust emissions, near silence and low vibrations - making them perfect for both indoors and outdoors, as well as in urban environments or outside of working hours. What is more, their high performance guarantees optimum productivity when supported by a range of flexible charging solutions.

In cities, access to electricity is often not a problem with the ability to power up electric construction equipment direct from the grid via an electrical utility box. But for more remote building and demolition sites - or where there is a weak power supply - it is possible to keep electric operations moving through the use of mobile power banks for both large and compact equipment. Easy to move and place exactly where it needs to be, they provide a steady charge for any application.