Fluvius tests climate neutral works through pilot projects
In January and early February, Fluvius tested what climate-neutral construction sites can look like in practice. At three locations in Flanders (Kortrijk, Hoeilaart and Diepenbeek), the grid operator, together with its contractors, carried out low-voltage works using exclusively electric site equipment.
All machines that normally run on fossil fuels were replaced by electric alternatives. This ranged from excavators to smaller equipment such as vibrating plates and grinding discs. Transport to and from the site was not part of this test. In each case, the pilot projects were conducted in cooperation with a contractor. In Kortrijk, Fluvius cooperated with Verbraeken Infra, in Hoeilaart with EBN-Tech and in Diepenbeek with APK.
Smart charging without a heavy site connection
A major challenge when working electrically is charging the equipment. Together with contractor Locquet Power and Light, Fluvius opted for a realistic set-up. A limited yard connection similar to an ordinary home connection was provided on the construction sites, supplemented by a smart battery container. It charges continuously, captures peak consumption and records all consumption. As a result, the grid remained stable and all the equipment was available for use every morning.
A measurable step towards reduced CO2 emissions
"Fluvius' goal is to become climate neutral by 2050. Climate-neutral yards are an essential part of that." - Fien De Clercq, Department Head of Sustainability
Fluvius deliberately chose low-voltage grid extensions: a common type of shipyard that is technically suitable for all-electric operation and lends itself well to future upscaling.
Baseline measurements at classic yards show that these yards emit an average of 2 kg of CO₂ per metre of trench. This gives insight into how much emission reduction is possible when such yards are electrified in the future.
Towards a more sustainable work sites
With these pilot projects, Fluvius is gathering insights to develop their yards and thus the networks for tomorrow in a thoughtful and more sustainable way.
This approach not only reduces CO₂ emissions, it also reduces noise and odour pollution, which makes a difference to both local residents and people on site.
"These pilot projects show how we can organise our daily operations smarter, more efficiently and with less disruption to the environment. By experimenting with climate-neutral construction sites now, we are building up the expertise needed to apply on a large scale later" - Tom Ceuppens, Director Customer and Grid Operations
David Callens