Standard will help maintain safety and performance amid shift to net-zero Stakeholders from across industry have collaborated to develop the UK’s first-ever national occupational standard (NOS) for the production, storage and transportation of hydrogen. As industry strives towards ambitious net-zero targets, hydrogen is set to play a crucial role in
As the UK Government targets 10GW of hydrogen production by 2023, industry leaders will convene at the Planning for Hydrogen Infrastructure 2023 event on 23 May, to explore strategies and planning for building successful hydrogen infrastructure projects – from concept to reality. Theevent, hosted by international law firm Eversheds Sutherland
Office blocks across London and beyond could hold one of the keys to helping manage energy costs and enable decarbonisation. In a pioneering new scheme run by UK Power Networks, a building in Central London is helping to reduce demand on the electricity network at peak times, by adjusting its
RWE has appointed Humber-based firm Hobson & Porter to complete the construction of its new state-of-the-art operations and maintenance facility known as the Grimsby Hub. The multi-million pound contract includes an extension to the existing Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm operations base located at Grimsby’s Royal Dock, and includes the
Combined technology reduces carbon emissions by up to 50% or 1 ton CO2 per household per year and shrinks energy bills for residents Heat network technology providers Evinox and Minibems are merging and receive growth capital from SET Ventures. This capital injection enables the two companies to cement their leading
Costain’s leading expertise in Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage will support the Government’s ambitions and deliver innovative solutions for clients, industrial clusters and stakeholders Leading infrastructure business Costain has welcomed the Government’s commitment to clean, green energy and security in its newly-published Powering Up Britain plan. The plan sets out
Last week, the UK Government charged a dedicated energy department with bringing down electricity and gas bills. The Department for Energy and Net Zero will work to reduce the dependence on traditional energy sources, giving the UK more secure and cleaner energy supplies whilst simultaneously cutting emissions. Simon Pinkney, director
GIS from Esri UK helps coordinate 8,000 workers on 450-acre site EDF has used enterprise GIS from Esri UK to create a geospatial portal for Hinkley Point C (HPC) nuclear power station, one of Europe’s largest and most complex construction projects. Supporting better collaboration and enabling new digital workflows, the
LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource, finished 2022 with 3.75 million search enquiries for underground pipes and cables passing through its central system. This is a 12 percent increase on the previous year. The portal also registered 43,190 new Users in 2022. This represents a 14 percent increase
Ampd Energy, an Earthshot Prize finalist that has pioneered the use of battery energy storage systems in urban construction, that their flagship product has been launched in the UK, deployed to London’s Olympia Redevelopment. In partnership with Laing O’Rourke, principal contractor for the Olympia Redevelopment, and subsidiary Select, the “Enertainer”
Standard will help maintain safety and performance amid shift to net-zero Stakeholders from across industry have collaborated to develop the UK’s first-ever national occupational standard (NOS) for the production, storage and transportation of hydrogen. As industry strives towards ambitious net-zero targets, hydrogen is set to play a crucial role in decreasing carbon emissions and the transition to greener, more sustainable forms of energy. In its role as leading skills specialist for the science and technology sector, Cogent Skills has supported employers by facilitating the development of the NOS. The steering group which developed the standard was chaired by the Tank Storage Association and included representatives from Cadent Gas, XPO Logistics, Downstream Oil Distribution Forum and Progressive Energy. The NOS has potential applications in a range of professions in industries including – but not limited to – the energy sector. It can form the foundation for qualifications used in apprenticeship frameworks, job descriptions for new roles, training and appraisals for existing staff – and help prospective staff when searching for jobs which match their skills and experience, among other uses. The hydrogen NOS has been approved by relevant authorities across the UK and will be developed further into qualification and apprenticeships. Executive Director of the Tank Storage Association, Peter Davidson, said: “Hydrogen will play a critical role in helping the UK achieve its net-zero ambitions by 2050. New infrastructure – from production and storage to import and processing facilities for hydrogen carriers – will be required to meet the future predicted demand. “A competent workforce will be key to the successful and safe operation of these facilities. The Tank Storage Association fully supports the development of National Occupational Standards in this area to ensure that those competency demands are met.” Chief Executive of Cogent Skills, Justine Fosh, said: “Cogent Skills is proud to have played its part in developing this important new standard. The hydrogen NOS will support new apprenticeships across the UK in a field which is set to becoming increasingly important as we all work together to reduce our carbon emissions and tackle the climate crisis.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the UK Government targets 10GW of hydrogen production by 2023, industry leaders will convene at the Planning for Hydrogen Infrastructure 2023 event on 23 May, to explore strategies and planning for building successful hydrogen infrastructure projects – from concept to reality. Theevent, hosted by international law firm Eversheds Sutherland in London, will provide an opportunity for the key players in hydrogen infrastructure to come together and share ideas in a growth area for the energy sector. The rise in hydrogen production presents a dual opportunity to tackle the energy crisis and reduce emissions with a cleaner alternative. The event will explore how new hydrogen projects can be successfully delivered, and provide attendees with valuable insights on planning strategies, site selection, stakeholder engagement, and consultation practices. It will also cover the latest policy developments supporting hydrogen production, infrastructure needed to meet the demand, and funding options available. The day will allow hydrogen and planning leaders to share ideas to address existing challenges and discuss ways to support future development. A key topic under discussion at this year’s one-day event will be ScottishPower’s new business division that focuses on green hydrogen, and what the company’s first projects in this area will mean for communities. There will be a range of panel discussions throughout the day. Helen Sanders, Head of Policy and Sustainability at SSE Thermal, James Walker, Senior Manager – Hydrogen Strategy at Ofgem and Jubilee Easo, International Head of Hydrogen at Eversheds Sutherland, will examine the current policy direction for hydrogen production, and what more Government can do to support the industry hit its 10GW by 2030 target. While Chris Rowell, Clean Growth and Innovation Manager at Tees Valley Combined Authority and Chris Taylor, Head of Planning and Consents at Progressive Energy, will discuss planning and delivering hydrogen infrastructure, and how best to effectively engage with all stakeholders. A range of other leading hydrogen infrastructure experts in the industry will also debate: The event will be chaired by Clare Jackson, CEO at Hydrogen UK. Ms Jackson leads the hydrogen industry association. In 2021, she launched Hydrogen UK, which brings together organisations delivering across the hydrogen value chain to work to make the UK one of the best places in the world to develop and deploy hydrogen solutions. Ms Jackson said: “The Planning for Hydrogen Infrastructure event offers an excellent opportunity for key players in the hydrogen energy sector to come together, share ideas, and develop innovative solutions to address the most pressing challenges facing the industry both in 2023 and beyond. “It’s a critical time for the sector as we look to develop policy and technological innovations that will prioritise energy security and provide the UK with a sustainable, decarbonised energy system, with renewables such as hydrogen at its core. “There will be plenty of opportunities for attendees to network with significant stakeholders in the hydrogen energy sector, including those spearheading cutting-edge hydrogen projects and infrastructure.” The event is being organised by Waterfront Conference Company. Waterfront delivers physical and virtual policy conferences for the planning, energy, rail, ports and maritime sectors. For more information and to register for the Planning for Hydrogen Infrastructure 2023, visit the event website https://waterfront.eventscase.com/EN/hydrogeninfrastructure or for other Waterfront events, visit https://www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Office blocks across London and beyond could hold one of the keys to helping manage energy costs and enable decarbonisation. In a pioneering new scheme run by UK Power Networks, a building in Central London is helping to reduce demand on the electricity network at peak times, by adjusting its temperature throughout the day. A typical office block needs to be kept at 21-22 degrees centigrade. By simply changing the times of the day at which the aircon is running and avoiding running at full power during the peak period, buildings can help reduce demand on the network. The minor change in temperature is imperceptible to most workers, and offices can earn revenue from the electricity network. Taking a smarter approach to using capacity on the network frees up space for more low carbon technologies like electric vehicle chargers and heat pumps to connect more quickly and at lower cost. In a partnership with BankEnergi and supported by Oaktree Power Limited, UK Power Networks can now call on Bracken House in Central London to provide flexibility services to the electricity network. UK Power Networks has since had interest from several companies offering similar solutions in London and beyond. The project builds on the Greater London Authority’s pioneering Flex London project, which set out to demonstrate how buildings could help manage peaks in demand on the network. Flex London concluded that flexibility could become London’s “greatest energy decarbonisation asset” – with potential for up to 1GW of flexibility by 2050 – which would free up capacity for almost 500,000 electric vehicles. Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy said: “Buildings are responsible for nearly 70 per cent of the capital’s carbon emissions, so it’s important we manage their energy demand intelligently to help us reach net zero by 2030. It’s great to see UK Power Networks building on the Flex London project to help bring energy bills down and deliver a more flexible, lower carbon energy system for all. It’s also a great example of how a relatively small change can help make London a greener and healthier city for all Londoners.” Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Distribution System Operator Director at UK Power Networks said: “Flex London paved the way for buildings to help us decarbonise the network and now this partnership is demonstrating it can become a reality. Particularly in cities like London, making tiny changes to the way buildings operate can lead to tremendous benefits for customers, saving money and helping us connect more green technology.” BankEnergi CEO, Rajvant Nijjhar said: “We are pleased to be supporting UK Power Networks in providing demand side response services to a landmark London building. The building’s owners will benefit from lower costs and carbon emissions, without the occupants noticing a difference in comfort levels. We see this as the future in balancing grid supply and demand issues and providing vital services to DNOs like UK Power Networks. We are now looking forward to rolling out our solution across multiple buildings in London and across the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RWE has appointed Humber-based firm Hobson & Porter to complete the construction of its new state-of-the-art operations and maintenance facility known as the Grimsby Hub. The multi-million pound contract includes an extension to the existing Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm operations base located at Grimsby’s Royal Dock, and includes the creation of a new Centralised Control Room (CCR) to oversee the operation of the vast majority of RWE’s UK Offshore portfolio, helping to cement Grimsby’s role as a leading location for the UK’s offshore wind sector. RWE announced the creation of the Grimsby Hub back in 2021, marking a major strategic commitment to the UK’s east coast. As well as Triton Knoll, RWE’s 1.4 gigawatt (GW) Sofia Offshore Wind Farm, currently under construction, will also locate its operations and maintenance activities to the new hub in the future. In total, RWE expects the new facility will accommodate around 140 RWE employees, with potentially around 70 new local jobs created, plus indirect jobs required in support. The Grimsby Hub will also enable the company to strengthen its relationship with the region’s businesses and local communities, by committing to a longer-term presence in the area. The location of the Grimsby Hub was chosen because of its proximity to existing and future projects and its deep-water quayside, which is suited to the use of Service Operations Vessels (SOVs). Construction is due to commence shortly and will take around one year to complete. Once construction has finished, the new facility will include a joint control room offering 24/7 monitoring of multiple sites, new shared office space, and separate warehouse facilities. Guy Middleton, RWE general manager for the Grimsby Hub said: “We are thrilled to have Hobson & Porter onboard to complete the extensive construction works required to extend the existing Triton Knoll facilities. It is great to have been able to award the contract to a local firm which brings a wealth of experience to the project. We can’t wait for construction to finish and provide even more locally based, skilled jobs for the region.” Hobson & Porter is an award-winning construction firm operating across the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire region and shares a lot of the same principles as RWE including being community focused, environmentally pro-active and they have a longstanding commitment to develop skills and training. Joe Booth, business development director for Hobson & Porter said: “We are delighted to be working with RWE on this exciting project and continuing our strong affiliation with both the Humber-based offshore wind industry and the town of Grimsby. This project will take our business revenues from the offshore wind industry beyond £25million in recent years having previously delivered the adjacent East Coast Hub for Orsted and the Aura Innovation centre in Hessle for The University of Hull; plus a number of other smaller projects. “For a local, family-owned business like ours, this is testament to the vast array of business opportunities the offshore wind sector is creating for local businesses, especially when you consider that not one of our 120 local employees have ever had to step offshore to attain or deliver these projects. We look forward to seeing this one, once complete.” RWE is a leading player in renewables and expects to invest more than €50 billion gross by 2030 to grow its green core business, globally, with £15 billion earmarked for the UK. During 2022, the 856 megawatts (MW) Triton Knoll offshore wind farm became fully operational, while RWE’s 1.4 GW Sofia offshore wind farm is now well into construction. RWE is also involved in four of the UK’s seven offshore wind extension projects and recently signed Agreements for Lease for their two Dogger Bank South offshore wind farm sites. Meanwhile the company is also exploring floating wind projects including in the Celtic Sea region. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Combined technology reduces carbon emissions by up to 50% or 1 ton CO2 per household per year and shrinks energy bills for residents Heat network technology providers Evinox and Minibems are merging and receive growth capital from SET Ventures. This capital injection enables the two companies to cement their leading position in smart heat network technology ensuring enhanced energy efficiency and cost savings for heat network operators and residents. Heat networks, also known as district heating systems, supply heat to one or multiple buildings from a central source, such as a boiler or heat pump. These systems are becoming increasingly popular to decarbonise heat, however, they can be inefficient and costly to operate. Evinox provides a full range of equipment and services to heat network operators. The company has pioneered remotely connected heat interface units (HIU) designed for easy installation, operation and maintenance. Evinox has supplied over 15,000 units for projects across the UK, including prestigious developments such as Battersea Power Station, London City Island and Riverlight. Minibems has developed advanced control technology which optimizes the operation of heat networks in real-time, using algorithms to predict and optimize the flow of heat to meet demand. By vastly improving network efficiency, energy consumption, carbon emissions, and costs for heat network operators and residents can be reduced by more than 50%. “This is a powerful step to address the pressing needs of our industry for effective decarbonisation solutions,” said Terry Mahoney, Managing Director of Evinox. “By combining our expertise and technology, we can offer a truly comprehensive range of products and services that guarantee energy efficiency. We are looking forward to the opportunities this merger will bring for our customers and for the industry as a whole.” “We are thrilled to be partnering with Evinox to offer a complete solution for heat network operators,” said Minibems CEO Simon Gunter, who will continue as Executive Chairman of the combined entity. “Combining Evinox smart HIUs with Minibems optimisation technology will help heat network operators to maximize efficiency and reduce the energy bill to residents.” “Since our original investment in Minibems in 2019, we have been excited about the magnitude of the problem to solve in how we heat buildings,” said Anton Arts, Managing Partner at SET Ventures. “This business combination creates the undisputed leader that will boost the efficiency of heat networks and achieve emission reductions at scale. We are pleased to support these visionary management teams to achieve their ambition together”. This partnership ensures that heat networks can fulfil their commitment to decarbonise heat, by reducing the carbon intensity by 1 ton per apartment each year in existing networks, as well as by enabling the use of heat pump pumps as a low-carbon source of heat. In the UK alone, over £500 million in government funding has been made available to drive adoption to 20% of building stock. The combination will trade as Evinox Group and has over 100 employees, working from offices in Chessington and Bournemouth in the UK and a manufacturing facility in Brasov, Romania. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Costain’s leading expertise in Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage will support the Government’s ambitions and deliver innovative solutions for clients, industrial clusters and stakeholders Leading infrastructure business Costain has welcomed the Government’s commitment to clean, green energy and security in its newly-published Powering Up Britain plan. The plan sets out how the government will deliver UK energy security and Net Zero, and diversified, decarbonised and domestic energy production by investing in renewables and nuclear. Core to the plan is backing Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) in the form of eight projects to progress to negotiations to form the first two CCUS clusters, in the North East and North West. Costain is an established leader in both of the CCUS clusters now progressing to the next stage of development, the East Coast Cluster in Teesside and The Humber, and the HyNet project in Merseyside. Over the last year, the company has worked with partners on the East Coast Cluster to design the onshore CO2 gathering pipeline and the new grid connection for the gas power-station. This crucial project will provide the common infrastructure needed to transport CO2 from emitters in the Humber and Teesside to secure offshore storage in the North Sea. Building on the government’s £20 billion commitment for CCUS technologies and projects, Costain welcomes this huge vote of confidence in the role of CCUS in the UK’s decarbonisation of the industrial sector. This is an area Costain has been supporting clients on for many years. Its expert teams have been engaging with industry to seek out projects with the opportunity to strengthen the UK’s position in CCUS, working on CO2 recovery, purification, compression, dehydration, liquefaction and underground gas storage. Responding to the government’s plan, Costain chief executive, Alex Vaughan, said: “Powering Up Britain is a crucial step forward in securing the UK’s green energy supply. It is also a welcome commitment to investing alongside the private sector to transform our critical infrastructure and drive economic prosperity and green jobs. We’re proud to be at the forefront of innovations in Carbon Capture and Storage, working on two of the UK’s most exciting projects in Teesside and The Humber and Merseyside. Our leading expertise in the area will be crucial in helping the Government achieve its ambitious plans.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Last week, the UK Government charged a dedicated energy department with bringing down electricity and gas bills. The Department for Energy and Net Zero will work to reduce the dependence on traditional energy sources, giving the UK more secure and cleaner energy supplies whilst simultaneously cutting emissions. Simon Pinkney, director of offering manager at Honeywell, welcomes the Government’s move and comments on what else needs to be considered. “Given rising energy bills, it is great to see the Government take a proactive approach in assigning the energy department to address this issue. Energy consumption is a growing concern for businesses worldwide driven by sustainability targets and, more recently, as energy costs create a burden on the operations of many organisations in the UK. “Indeed, the UK Government implemented a cap on wholesale business energy bills starting late last year, but it is essential that businesses take steps to reduce their energy usage. Whilst many energy managers start with larger scale or longer-term efficiency projects, like modernising heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems to improving building insulation, these efforts typically come with sizeable upfront investments that may not be achievable with smaller budgets. “One of the most overlooked ways of reducing energy usage is by addressing small power usage, which relates to the volume of power consumed by plugged-in devices. In any commercial building, there can be hundreds of electrical devices, such as computers, printers, water coolers and fridges which collectively account for a significant percentage of a building’s energy use. Data indicates that small power can account for up to 25% of energy in a minimally efficient building. “Most buildings lack the capabilities to monitor and control small power, but new technologies now make it possible to connect electrical sockets to the building management systems, enabling constant insights and control of small power loads, socket temperature, and more. Energy managers need this level of visibility in their buildings to accurately assess opportunities to lower site energy consumption. It’s critical that energy managers do what they can to drive down building energy use in as quick and cost-effective way possible. The cumulative benefit of addressing small power can deliver on this and make buildings safer.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GIS from Esri UK helps coordinate 8,000 workers on 450-acre site EDF has used enterprise GIS from Esri UK to create a geospatial portal for Hinkley Point C (HPC) nuclear power station, one of Europe’s largest and most complex construction projects. Supporting better collaboration and enabling new digital workflows, the portal is sharing a single view of the entire project, helping employees and contractors work seamlessly and improve safety and productivity. Recently opened-up to include Tier 1 contractors when construction of the nuclear reactors started, the portal now has over 1,500 users. Currently one of Europe’s largest construction projects with 8,000 workers on the 450-acre site, Hinkley Point C is the UK’s first new nuclear power station built since Sizewell B in 1995. The nationally significant infrastructure will provide around 7% of the UK’s electricity, power around 6 million homes and contribute to the UK Government’s Net Zero target. Central source of data Delivering clarity of information, the GIS portal is a central source of all spatial data, maps, apps and dashboards, combining multiple sources of information and making them accessible to everyone on site. An interactive primary site map contains over 100 different data layers, from BIM models and CAD data including Revit models, to construction operations, temporary works, utilities, logistics and emergency preparedness. “The scale of the project presents a complex logistical challenge,” said Jon Dolphin, Construction Project Manager and GIS Lead at HPC. “Clarity of construction data is critical and the GIS portal provides a single view of this, which drives collaboration as people can see where things are happening and when. Every employee or contractor is making decisions based on the same data. The confidence this generates makes decision-making faster and strengthens the ability of teams to work more efficiently. As a result, we’ve seen improvements in quality, safety and productivity.” Starting life as a proof of concept three years ago, the GIS portal first became an enterprise roll-out in Spring 2021 and has grown since then. “Small pilots showed what was possible, helping a wider audience understand the benefits of using GIS on a megaproject,” explained Dolphin. “Users now browse the spatial data, explore applications and enable new digital workflows relevant to them. The number of portal users is growing daily as more people become aware of what GIS has to offer and more use cases emerge.” Digitising workflows Esri GIS has enhanced HPC’s ability to collect data out in the field, replacing manual methods using paper checklists, clipboards and spreadsheets. One example is emergency planning data, used to provide assurance for regulatory purposes, which is now collected on tablets and appears in real-time in the GIS portal. Managers view and report on it using dashboards, helping to make more informed decisions. Temporary Works teams use similar new digital workflows, for planning and inspecting hundreds of simultaneous works, including excavations, earth works, scaffolding, ramps or form work for reinforced concrete pours. Adding the spatial context means contractor activities do not clash while physical surveys now take a fraction of the time. Using GIS apps and integrated dashboards for data input and reporting, eliminates the need to transfer information into a report when staff return to the desktop. Mobile GIS Another example of mobile GIS in action is an app created to improve the management of generator permit requests. HPC needed to monitor emissions as the site grew and wanted a detailed understanding of generator use. Now contractors have the ability to use a new mobile app instead of a spreadsheet, to click on a location and request a generator which is submitted into a workflow for approval. A dashboard displays the data so electrical and environmental teams can optimise the use of generators and reduce emissions across the site. “The new digital approach has replaced the previous spreadsheet-based system, which lacked auditability and had no spatial context,” said Dolphin. The portal will see another increase in usage when the MEH phase (Mechanical, Electrical and HVAC) ramps up in 2023, to manage permitting and controlling what is being built on site. This phase will see contractors work together on the complex installation of cabling, pipework and equipment for the power station’s 2,500 rooms. Future plans include using GIS to track and optimise the use of plant around the site to reduce emissions and make transport services more intelligent, by tracking the site’s buses and other vehicles. “Having one GIS portal for our construction data is immensely powerful for breaking down communication barriers, getting everyone on the same page and improving collaboration,” concluded Dolphin. “The use of Esri GIS at Hinkley Point C was a cultural shift for many people but new digital approaches soon become indispensable when working on such complex engineering projects.”
LSBUD, the UK’s leading online safe digging resource, finished 2022 with 3.75 million search enquiries for underground pipes and cables passing through its central system. This is a 12 percent increase on the previous year. The portal also registered 43,190 new Users in 2022. This represents a 14 percent increase compared to 2021, and is 35 percent up on 2020. Richard Broome, MD at LSBUD, comments: “In 2022, our portal received more search enquiries than we take breaths. It’s absolutely extraordinary. At the start of 2022, our aim was to break through the 3.5 million enquiries barrier, so to achieve 3.75 million is credit to those safe digging industries who are more committed to best practice than ever before. “People operating within the farming, construction, highways, telecoms, water, gas and electricity sectors need to be praised for their part in this substantial growth, as do UK consumers who are increasingly undertaking home projects with greater care than ever before.” Growth in coverage was also seen across all industries, in particular the gas sector, with Northern Gas Networks joining the collaborative portal in 2022. This means LSBUD now has complete coverage of the UK’s major gas distribution networks, with 100 percent of them collaboratively sharing their data on the free-to-use, central portal. Fibre networks also jumped on the safe digging momentum, with Voneus, Ogi, Wildanet and Toob joining the likes of broadband key players Gigaclear, Gamma, Neos Networks and Zayo, in recognising the importance of having their asset data shared on a central portal. Richard Broome concludes: “2022 was the best ever year for the safe digging community. Pipes and cables were better protected than ever before, and those working near them were safer. Of course, there is room for improvement, and that is what we push for, however we wanted to extend a thank you to every farmer, construction, highways, telecoms, water, gas and electricity worker, that searches before they dig. It is good practice, it is safe, and it is sensible. Remember, always search before you dig.” For more information about LSBUD, visit http://www.lsbud.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ampd Energy, an Earthshot Prize finalist that has pioneered the use of battery energy storage systems in urban construction, that their flagship product has been launched in the UK, deployed to London’s Olympia Redevelopment. In partnership with Laing O’Rourke, principal contractor for the Olympia Redevelopment, and subsidiary Select, the “Enertainer” has powered three cranes at the construction project in the six weeks since it’s deployment in December. With over 130 of the smart batteries live across building sites in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia, the Enertainer is a plug and play device designed for the electrification of construction. Providing clean, quiet and fully automated energy delivery, it enables construction to transition away from fossil fuels. Thirty times quieter than a diesel generator, the Enertainer is designed for the tough, dynamic and space-constrained needs of construction sites. In the six weeks since the Enertainer has been operational the advanced energy storage system has introduced significant financial and environmental advantages; over the life of the project, an Enertainer will be more cost effective than using diesel generators, as well as saving space and manpower time. According to the IEA, the combined building and construction sector is responsible for 30% of total global final energy consumption and 27% of total emissions in the overall energy sector. Compared to fossil fuel generators, the Enertainer reduces carbon footprints by up to 90%, is significantly quieter, emits zero air pollutants, and eliminates diesel handling and usage risks. With very few moving parts, the Enertainer has minimal maintenance and zero refuelling downtime. By replacing diesel with electricity from the grid network, the Enertainer can also realise significant cost-savings as well as operational benefits for construction sites in the UK and around the world. Additionally, as an IoT enabled device, the Enertainer can be remotely monitored anytime and anywhere, providing a deep level of data-transparency for data-driven decision making. The Enertainer is the first energy storage system in the UK able to power such large construction equipment which will be crucial as the construction sector looks to reduce its environmental impact. This partnership with Select has entailed the deployment of the Enertainer in central London, and is available now across the rest of the UK. Brandon Ng, CEO and Co-Founder of AMPD Energy commented: “We are proud to have launched our first European deployment for the Olympia Redevelopment. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to demonstrate the ‘Enertainer’s’ compelling environmental and commercial impacts, right here in London. We’re excited by the platform’s ability to transform construction and are proud to be partnering with industry leaders like Select and Laing O’Rourke, as we continue our journey towards making this a reality. We look forward to building on this first deployment over the course of 2023, powering cleaner, cheaper construction in the UK and across the world.” From Ian Fleming- Select Site Services Product Leader at Olympia Redevelopment commented: “The Ampd Enertainer is a game changer for site electrics and its infrastructure. Not only does it enable us to power the crane on a small grid connection, but the innovative design allows us to feed it with small power cables and charge it when site demand for power is low. It has the capacity to run additional equipment so we are looking at other applications for it already.” From Stephen Bradby – Plant & Engineering Technical Leader at Select commented: “At Select, we understand our responsibility to challenge the norm and champion new sustainable technology. We’ve made significant investment in zero emission equipment and can now offer plant including our battery-powered crawler cranes and drilling rigs to our customers that dramatically reduce carbon emissions. We’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible through collaboration with innovative partners like Ampd Energy. When we were approached by Ampd Energy we immediately saw the opportunity to help eliminate diesel and its derivatives, from sites, particularly the ones using our large tower cranes, with high power demands. Each one of these Ampd units removes a 500kVA generator and all its associated emissions, noise, space, and cost. It really is making a vast improvement on the environmental impact of construction.” * Data taken from BEIS conversion factor spreadsheet and Enernet monitoring system, annualised for an annual figure. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
