HS2 Trials Electric Drilling Rig for Construction in Warwickshire

HS2 Ltd’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture (BBV) is trialling an electric, high-capacity drilling rig for construction on HS2’s site in Warwickshire.

This trial advances the joint venture’s plan to meet HS2 Ltd’s ambition of operating diesel-free construction sites.

Andrea Davidson, HS2’s Air Quality Manager said:

“We are proud to be working with our supply chain and leading manufacturers to drive a step change in the UK construction industry, demonstrating the viability and benefits of emissions-free heavy electric plant. Being at the forefront of a ground-breaking trial like this is another step on our journey to achieving our target of all diesel-free construction sites by 2029, and net zero carbon from 2035 - helping HS2 to become the most sustainable infrastructure project ever delivered.”

The new BAUER eBG33 piling rig cuts 1,200kg of CO2 per day and reduces noise by 50%

The 100 tonne BAUER eBG33 drilling rig can carry out the same tasks as a traditional rig, but is the world’s first all-electric, high-capacity model. The rig offers an overall reduction of 1,292 kilograms of CO2 per day compared to a traditionally powered rig and also reduces noise by 50 percent.

The new machine is being used by BBV’s deep foundations contractor SB3 to construct large diameter piles alongside a diesel-powered rig. This project aims to demonstrate that heavy, electric-powered rigs can perform the same tasks as traditional models.

Dan Fawcett, Innovation Director at BBV said:

“We’re committed to driving real innovation across everything we do. That’s why we’re so excited to trial the world’s first all-electric, high capacity drilling rig at one of our HS2 sites in Warwickshire. This pioneering project marks a major step forward towards transitioning to all-electric powered plants, which is great news for the environment too. We’ll look to share what we learn from this trial and extend it across our other sites, as well as the wider industry.”

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