August 20, 2023
Turner Construction Co., New York, a large global construction service company, is testing one of the largest battery-electric machines in the world, the 23-ton Volvo EC230 Electric excavator from Volvo Construction Equipment (CE), Eskilstuna, Pa. The project is in Silicon Valley.
“Turner is a great organization for us to partner with to test the capabilities and benefits of a zero-emission machine that is a major advancement in bringing sustainability solutions to our industry,” said Scott Young, acting president of region North America, Volvo CE. “Both of our companies are industry leaders pushing innovation to build a cleaner world.”
“We’re really excited to provide operator feedback to equipment manufacturers and help support the low-emission market. This is definitely in alignment with our company values to create a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future for people and the planet,” said Evan Walker, project executive, Turner Construction Co.
The EC230 Electric excavator is being used by Turner Construction Co. on a light manufacturing reconfiguration project for Applied Materials in the Silicon Valley region of northern California. The excavator will play a role in the placement of deep utilities, backfilling, building pad excavation, compaction and material movement on site. The project is scheduled for completion by October 2024.
“This pilot is part of our overall effort to reduce the carbon emissions of our operations. Electrifying as much equipment as possible will yield a lower-carbon, quieter, healthier and ultimately safer job site,” said Emi LaFountain, Turner sustainability manager.
As part of the EC230 Electric excavator pilot, Sunbelt Rentals, Fort Mill, S.C., is providing a mobile, off-grid energy storage solution.
“A battery energy storage system (BESS) is ideal because the power can be quickly delivered to the machine with ease in remote locations without requiring the machine to move for charging,” said Brent Coffey, director, product line management, Sunbelt Rentals.
A 600kWh BESS will power a mobile fast charger that is connected to the EC230 machine. In this scenario, the excavator can be recharged over a lunch break to provide sufficient power for a full day’s work. The BESS is an emission-free and noise-free power solution, and can be used for portable site charging, supplementing combustion generators and standby power for job sites.
The EC230 Electric excavator has launched in Europe and China and is expected to be available in North America in 2024. To learn more about Volvo CE sustainability efforts, get tips about charging and hear what electric machine owners have to say, click here.
