Thursday, September 23, 2021-National Edition #20 Lucy Perry – CEG Correspondent
Long before President Joe Biden set the national goal of achieving 100% clean energy and net zero emissions by 2050, construction equipment manufacturers were already doing their part. The same is true for the project owner, appointing environmentally friendly machines on the job site. The contractor stocked electric and hybrid machines and hired operators to run them.
But regardless of Biden’s decree, the industry is moving towards the mainstream of zero-emission construction equipment.
In fact, the Bellona Foundation, a global non-profit organization dealing with climate challenges, found that there are currently at least seven different types of construction machinery that have electric alternatives.
Bellona began tracking the manufacture of zero-emission construction equipment and established a database that "combined all available electric construction machinery and equipment to help eliminate emissions and noise on the job site."
The organization found that at least 18 manufacturers provide equipment and components to support the electrical revolution. These companies are producing environmentally friendly excavators, wheel loaders, dump trucks, vibrating discs, slewing and crawler drives, and cement mixers. And this is exactly what Bellona records. Other manufacturers have also joined this cause.
The organization said: “Although there are many products to choose from on the market today, potential buyers seem to have insufficient knowledge of the availability and specifications of electric construction equipment.”
Bellona added that due to these advancements in the market, contractors now have the opportunity to actively choose construction equipment that does not harm the surrounding environment or the local community while still working. "For the market, there is only room for growth," the organization said.
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) hopes that its members will keep up to date with the development of the market. The goal of the newly established Engine Emissions Strategy Working Group (EESTF) is to help guide AEM’s efforts to keep members and the off-road industry up to date with equipment emission regulations.
According to AEM, EESTF will be committed to educating professionals on potential future emission requirements, changes in power transmission systems, effects on equipment design, and cost implications. Another potential goal is to help others understand that there may be different technical solutions for different applications and machine types.
Different environmental technology solutions already exist and will continue to be introduced every year. Electric and hybrid small machines have been used for indoor construction and maintenance for many years. But, as Volvo puts it, “quietly in the background, electric cars have been driving off the road and entering the construction site.”
Heavy equipment manufacturers have taken the lead. Over the years, they have installed low-emission engines in their machines, added features that reduce fuel consumption, and developed telematics systems to help operators reduce fuel usage and idle time.
However, heavy equipment such as excavators and wheel loaders have just begun to offer electric options, ushering in a new era of electric vehicles.
Ray Gallant, director of product management and productivity at Volvo CE, said: "Electric machines will build tomorrow's roads, bridges and utility lines, and they will not generate greenhouse gas emissions." "There are already early adoptions. They have successfully used electric construction equipment, and they have found that they can reduce their carbon footprint while maintaining high performance."
He believes that the industry has made great progress in reducing emissions and there is still room for improvement, but "we are at the point where we are realizing most of the benefits. New technologies such as motors are the next frontier in emissions reduction."
The challenge of introducing electric vehicles into the construction industry includes building charging infrastructure. Manufacturers are looking for solutions.
Volvo electric excavators and wheel loaders that came to the United States this year can be charged in a 220/240 volt power outlet. They also offer fast charging options, allowing them to approach peak charging within a few hours. The company believes that with rapid development, the industry will soon see options for charging in remote areas such as mobile power supplies.
"Our customers will not notice the difference between the power and performance of electric and diesel models," said Lars Arnold, Volvo Construction Equipment's electric vehicle product manager. "In fact, since there is no diesel engine, they will enjoy the many benefits of electric motors, including lower noise, less machine vibration and no exhaust gas."
Natural gas and hydrogen battery technologies are generating power and performance, and both technologies have made progress in terms of zero emissions.
Representatives of the California Natural Gas Vehicle Partnership (CNGVP) recently reported that fleets are increasingly turning to near-zero emission natural gas vehicles and carbon-negative renewable natural gas.
CNGVP Vice Chairman Ashley Remillard (Ashley Remillard) said that today, California and national fleets are investing in commercial and proven natural gas vehicles.
She added that fleet owners are “choosing sustainable technologies to meet their extensive and intensive operational needs, while focusing on future opportunities to integrate electric trucks”.
At the same time, research and development of hydrogen and fuel cells for construction applications is also increasing. Hydrogen is considered a good fuel source for the highway industry, but several manufacturers are joining forces to apply this technology to earthwork, mining and other non-elevated applications.
Hydrogen fuel cell is a non-combustion technology that requires a continuous source of fuel and oxygen to generate electricity, and only discharges water.
The hydrogen tank on a fuel cell electric vehicle or truck can be refilled in the same time as a liquid fuel tank, eliminating the lengthy charging time required for battery-dependent electric vehicles.
Today, hydrogen can be obtained from a variety of carbon-free and low-carbon sources, and the total carbon emissions of the transportation fleet are very low or even negative, and form zero-smog pollutants.
Power technology manufacturer Eaton’s Automotive Group announced a partnership with Ballard Fuel Cell Systems and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to develop fuel cell technology for heavy-duty trucks using hydrogen fuel cells.
The Green Car Conference reports that Eaton has received funding from the United States. The Ministry of Energy develops high-efficiency fuel cells that can power heavy machinery.
Eaton Automotive Group Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Karl Sievertsen said that Eaton’s Twin Scroll Series (TVS) technology is at the core of this collaboration.
"Our TVS supercharger technology provides fuel cell manufacturers with a precisely controlled air volume to increase power and efficiency," he said. "Competitive fuel cells are less efficient because most hydrogen fuel cells use simple fans for air flow, and the pressure generated is small and uncontrollable."
ABB in Zurich, Switzerland signed an agreement with MEDATech in Ontario, Canada to explore net-zero emissions technology in the mining industry.
The goal is to explore solutions to decarbonize mining operations through charging solutions and optimized electric drive systems for heavy-duty applications in electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles and supporting charging infrastructure must meet the demanding requirements of mining customers, including high power, automation and safe operation, and a robust design suitable for harsh environmental conditions.
Nic Beutler, ABB's global product manager for power systems and charging solutions, said: "The mining industry has set clear and ambitious goals to achieve a more sustainable future of decarbonization."
This summer, Caterpillar and Nouveau Monde signed an agreement to develop zero-emission mining equipment. Nouveau Monde hopes to become the exclusive supplier of all electric mining equipment at the Mataverni mine in Quebec, Canada by 2028.
Cat will work with the company to incorporate customer input throughout the development process and when testing zero-emission fleets and infrastructure prior to commercial production.
At the same time, returning to ACT Expo, this year exhibited a hybrid truck power system with a focus on sustainable development, which can reduce weight and simplify installation, service and operation.
Hyliion, a newcomer based in Cedar Park, Texas, produces electrified power systems to enhance or replace traditional diesel or natural gas power systems.
The enhanced version of the company's hybrid system is targeted at Class 8 diesel and CNG commercial trucks. Delivery is planned for later this year. Thomas Healy, founder of Hyliion, said the company hopes that these improvements "make it easier for fleets to adopt the system while helping them achieve their emissions targets."
At the Expo in Long Beach, California, there was also a 6- and 7-level fuel cell electric truck powered by Hexagon Purus in Norway and Ballard Power Systems in Canada. Hexagon Purus' turnkey electric drive system and hydrogen storage system are combined with Ballard's fuel cell module.
Partners said the truck will have a cruising range of more than 400 miles. And the refueling time is comparable to that of a traditional truck. They promote it as a zero-emission solution to fleet owners with demanding operations, transporting goods to the "middle mile" without the need to expand the fleet.
This truck should be on California's list of hybrid and zero-emission coupon incentive programs in 2022. It is planned to deploy the first fleet in the Los Angeles Basin area.
Nicolas Pocard, vice president of marketing at Ballard Power, said: “Fuel cell and hydrogen technology will enable the decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation sector through remote and fast vehicle refueling without affecting the payload.” China Power Group
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