The Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) Project continues its journey exploring procurement solutions for public authorities towards a more sustainable future. Last 6-8 November, the project’s Community of Practice (CoP) on Zero Emission Construction Sites took part in a Study Visit in the Netherlands to see solutions in person and discuss challenges.

Dike reinforcement project 

The Dike Reinforcement Project Tiel-Waardenburg includes the reinforcement of 19,4km of flood defence system. 

It is financed by the Riviereland Water Board, with a total cost of approximately 400 million EUR, and implemented by Mekante Diek, a joint venture composed of three family-owned companies.

The project, which will be concluded by 2027, has used 42 electric machines of different size, which have been retrofitted. As the project coordinator highlighted, all equipment used, except trucks, was manufactured with a combustion engine and later converted and equipped with an electric one.

Charging facilities based on renewable energy

So many electric engines, however, consume a lot of energy and how is that generated? A visit to the WattHub charging station in Geldermalsen answered that question.

Established in 2023, this facility was designed specifically for charging electric construction vehicles and equipment, and it marks one of the first large-scale charging stations of its kind aimed at electrifying the construction sector, which traditionally relies heavily on diesel-fuelled machinery.

The charging station offers fast, high-capacity chargers capable of meeting the energy demands of large construction machinery. It integrates renewable energy sources, such as solar power and wind, to provide a more sustainable charging solution, aligning with the Netherlands' green energy targets by reducing reliance on the national grid and fossil fuels.

To balance supply and demand, especially during peak hours or times of low renewable energy production, the station has on-site battery storage. Strategically located in the Province of Gelderland, this station provides reliable, renewable-powered charging for construction equipment, helping to advance sustainability in an industry that has traditionally been challenging to decarbonise.

Challenges and collaboration

Such impressive projects don’t come without challenges. The visit’s hosts and participants have discussed what these were at different stages of the project:

• Challenges to start the project: obtaining various permits and registration certificates for trucks, additional certification of drivers for electric powered machinery, recharging infrastructure to cover different battery solutions for each equipment type.
• General operational challenge: organization of work around the electric equipment, traditional equipment as back-up, logistics.
• Operational challenges with staff: additional roles (logistics coordinator of batter transport, planner of optimization of charging process), culture change, need to thing ahead, collaboration between operators and logistics. 
• Operational challenges with safety regulations: additional certifications for handling batteries, additional insurance. 
• Operational challenges with technical issues: need for software, additional batteries required, reduced load capacity. 

However, European cooperation through the Big Buyers Working Together (BBWT) Project and visits like this support public authorities to learn from each other and bring considerable added value. Lessons learned from this visit will enable participants to apply innovative approaches into their procurement processes. 

The CoP Zero Emission Construction Sites is one of ten CoPs established within the BBWT Project.

To learn more about the project, please visit our page within the Public Buyers Community Platform.

Don’t miss to join our vibrant LinkedIn group.

Interested in joining this or any other of our ten CoPs? Please do not hesitate to contact us via big.buyers@eurocities.eu  

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This Study Visit was organized as a part of the Second ‘Leap to Zero’ Conference. The Leap to Zero Network seeks to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels construction machines towards non-fossil, emission-free equipment, contributing to climate goals, nature conservation and a clean living environment. It offers a platform for public infrastructure authorities to share insights and support cooperation between countries.