It's not just cars and trucks that can be electrified to curb planet-heating pollution. Bigge Crane and Rigging Company is showing how construction vehicles can also turn to renewable energy to build a cooler future.
The Liebherr crawler crane broke new ground in San Leandro to become California's first all-electric crane, which is estimated to save around 18,500 gallons of gas and 200 tons of carbon pollution every year. The massive savings on fuel — plus the positive environmental impact of the machine — means that the increased cost ($3 million vs. $2.3 million for a diesel equivalent) will pay off in the long run.Â
This is especially important as the U.N. estimates that building and construction account for as much as 37 percent of global air pollution.
"It runs plugged in, so you can plug into shore power like a tower crane, or you can plug it into one of our battery packs," said Bigge Crane's Brian Cannady, per KTVU Fox 2. "You don't have to bring in a diesel generator."
Battery producers Moxion Power assert that there's no difference in how the tools operate, but the switch to electric has a massive impact.
"Being able to take temporary diesel engines out of the construction ecosystem can cause a huge change," Moxion Power's Laurence Lea said. "The work does not change and the work output doesn't change just because you go electric."
"It's an exciting new innovation in the heavy lifting space," said Bigge's Garrett St. John, who also explained that the company doesn't want the electric crane to be a one-time effort in its environmental strides. The company is also investing in electric yard trucks and adding solar panels to power its operations as much as possible.Â
"We're really trying to have it be an end-to-end solution," he said. "Not just a one-off thing with one crane here on the yard."
This is just one of many construction innovations helping to promote a cleaner future. That list includes stronger wood, carbon-negative houses, and advanced battery systems to power construction projects. An electric harbor crane also recently debuted in the Netherlands.
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