Diesel is Disappearing – Are You Ready?
Marc Staddon, Principle Engineer at Solivus explores the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of embracing cleaner alternatives to diesel generators in the construction sector.
It’s hard to believe that not so long ago diesel was widely touted as a superior fuel choice. The rationale was simple: diesel engines use fuel more efficiently and therefore produce less CO2. This meant you could keep your fuel costs down while doing your bit for the planet.
With this, it’s easy to see why the construction industry has traditionally relied on diesel generators to get the job done. From powering cranes and excavators to bulldozers, they have long been used as the off-grid power supply of choice for construction sites worldwide.
The death of diesel
But this is changing. It turns out that diesel is not as clean as once thought. Not only is it a significant source of carbon dioxide, but it can emit higher levels of other harmful air pollutants like particulates – microscopic bits of soot left over from the combustion process.
Not only are these pollutants linked to poor air quality and premature deaths but are much harder to clean up than experts once predicted.
Thus, as the world strives for a more sustainable future, the environmental and health impact associated with diesel emissions has come under much closer scrutiny. Put simply, diesel has no place in our net zero trajectory. The result is an increasing urgency for construction to pave the way for a diesel-free future, and fast.
This was seen last year as the Construction Leadership Council launched its ‘Zero Diesel Sites Route Map’, a key element of its CO2nstruct Zero programme, which sets out to eliminate diesel from 98% of construction sites by 2035.1 Importantly, the Route Map advocates increased on-site renewable energy, with up to 500 construction companies signing up to significant-zero diesel reduction strategies by this year. It follows the 2022 removal of red diesel rebate from construction.
Of course though, even with the best intentions the reality is that delivering diesel-free construction sites on the ground front hasn’t always been simple. But why, you may ask?
Inherently, solar presents the obvious diesel alternative, enabling construction sites to produce their own energy free of emissions and pollutants. Furthermore, according to the International Energy Agency, solar PV is now the cheapest energy source in history – even without subsidies.2 This becomes even more appealing in the context of energy market volatility, bringing uncertainty into diesel costs.
A bright idea
However, solar has come with its problems for construction site use. Fundamentally, the roof structure of modular cabins used on sites are often not strong enough to take the weight and windage of conventional solar without being structurally bolstered. This results in unnecessary complexity and extra cost. The rigid panel form of conventional solar panels also makes it difficult to easily store and transport cabins for further use on project completion. As a result, solar hasn’t been as widely used for onsite generation as it could.
Fortunately then, there is now a much more flexible, cost-effective solution. Thanks to advances in technology, the latest generation of innovative lightweight solar comprises a ‘skin like’ thin photovoltaic (OPV) film which can be bent into shapes or glued onto flat or curved, vertical or horizontal, surfaces – meaning it can be used on nearly any roof space. It is one-tenth the weight of conventional solar panels in terms of frames.
A great example of this opportunity can be found in our recent work with one of the world’s biggest infrastructure names. Hereby, the challenge was to create a solar-fuelled alternative to the diesel generators currently used to power its construction site cabins portfolio.
To achieve this, we created an innovative, low carbon set up which combines solar panels with a battery storage system to create a decentralised, self-sufficient energy hub. The system works by storing the excess energy generated by the solar panels in a connected battery storage unit. As a result, site cabins can be powered continuously, with the system automatically releasing the reserve energy even when there is no sunlight.
Indicative of this approach’s vast potential, the project, based on a seven-day operational period, is estimated to save the business up to 14,416 Kg of carbon dioxide emissions across the site’s cabin portfolio per year. It will also eliminate the need for 5223 litres of diesel. Cost savings are accounted for too with the average cost of solar generation at £0.61/kWh compared to the diesel equivalent of £1.44/kWh. The result is a gross annual saving of £9,140, with the entire system paying for itself in just 6 years, all while ensuring a reliable, resilient, clean energy supply.
Underscoring this too is a dedicated operations and maintenance (O&M) programme designed to ensure the project continues to reach its full value potential. This is supported with a five-year workmanship warranty, a twelve-year product warranty and a twenty-five-year performance warranty.
Besides the immediate monetary rewards of reducing energy usage and increasing efficiency, embracing a sustainable approach to temporary power supply will also go a long way in enhancing the company’s reputation too. This has helped to endorse its share values for investors, improve the working environment for its employees and enhance the level of service to the community.
A front footing
The transition from diesel-powered construction sites to diesel-free alternatives is upon us. Though it may mean investment and extra resources, those that make the change now will most likely have an immediate reward in terms of improved efficiencies, reduced costs, an enhance corporate image and a front footing in the pathway to a diesel-free future.
1 https://www.constructionleadershipcouncil.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Zero-Diesel-Route-Map-June-2023.pdf 2 https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/06/15/renewable-energy-is-now-the-cheapest-option-even-without-subsidies/
