With flexibility, cost savings, increase in productivity, and more, electric equipment gives big benefits to businesses.
By Colleen Miller
Productivity and safety are critical for companies involved in waste management. Many are adopting new procedures and equipment to increase these outcomes. Efficient, cost-effective, and safe technologies include electrically driven equipment, such as electric excavators and wheel loaders.
Cost Savings
Electric machines do not have the issues like diesel engines do, such as vibration and heat. Nor do they have the same structural components as diesel engines. They can last five times longer because low wear allows considerably longer service intervals in comparison to a diesel engine. Oil and filter changes are eliminated. In addition, the electrically driven machines are always ready for operation and can work around the clock without refueling. Comparisons show a savings of $87,922.68 between certain types of diesel and electric engines in energy and service costs per 4,000 hours鈥攎ore than 68 percent.
Sustainability
Electric material handlers not only run more cost-efficiently, but are also environmentally friendly and emission-free. Electrically driven equipment can help improve sustainability by reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing emissions is essential for a community鈥檚 greener, safer future. Additionally, reducing emissions improves air quality indoors at facilities, contributing to employee safety.
Productivity
Unloading from excavators or wheel loaders to trucks is time-consuming and risks damaging vehicles. To reduce time and cost, a hydraulic lifting cab allows the operator to see where the load is being placed, remove interfering material, and compact or level it to maximize each load. Each trip moves more material. Each truck is more efficient. We have seen increases of 35 to 45 percent. Cycle time is faster with purpose-built handlers. In the cab, the operator can see what can and cannot be recycled.
Visibility
Increased visibility and reach allow operators to place material evenly on conveyors, making processing more efficient. The hydraulic lift cabs allow the operator to see the 25-foot reach. They are able to watch the material go down the line and see if something should not be there, such as construction material or something long and stringy like a bed sheet or wire. They have the visibility to detect that material and to reach out and grab and remove it. Visibility from the cab also contributes to improved safety. Wheel loaders can be the most dangerous equipment, especially in confined spaces. A rail gantry eliminates machines moving around and decreases risk to employees.
Photo courtesy of SENNEBOGEN
Ease of Maintenance
One concern has been the need to call in an electrician to do any work on electric machines due to the amount of power. However, electric-driven material handlers simply remove the diesel engine and aftertreatment system and replace them with an electric motor and control panel. As the power going to the machine is 480 Volts, the by-product is 110 Volts AC. As the by-product is 110 Volts AC, a transformer and converter is added into the control panel to generate 24 Volts DC. This is crucial because your typical diesel/hydraulic technician is trained and comfortable to work on the machine. Everything is the same as a diesel engine. Anyone can work on it.
Consider the numerous key sensors in an electronic system, such as those for engine/pump communication, main control valve functions, and so on. On many machines, when these sensors fail, you are dead in the water waiting for a dealer technician to come out with a laptop. This is because these sensors have to be coded with a specific IP address prior to being replaced. Choose electric equipment from a company that understands that customers should not be held hostage. It is crucial to stand firm on that commitment. The machines should offer simplicity, ease of troubleshooting, and customer independence when it comes to maintenance.
Component Standardization
Standardization between diesel and electric simplifies maintenance and troubleshooting. An electric motor turns at 1,800 rpm and the diesel motor at 2,000 rpm, so gearboxes are added to increase the output of the electric motor to 2,000 rpm. This allows the same pumps to be used for both diesel and electric machines, driving standardization of components.
There are a lot of maintenance costs with diesel engines. It makes sense for facilities to look at electric solutions. If they go electric, they can eliminate service intervals every 500 hours for replacing air filters, fuel filters, and engine filters. With an electric motor, facilities can get rid of their number one pain point.
Flexibility
All industry machines regardless of configuration (rubber tire, crawler, four-point pedestal, rail gantry, crawler gantry, pylon, etc.) can be electric. There are also options for a pony motor in the counterweight. This will allow the customer to unplug a machine and drive to another location for mobility purposes. When it is time to move, the operator simply removes the large plug, rolls the power cable up on the drum, and starts the diesel powerpack that is built into the electric equipment鈥檚 counterweight. Then they just switch the motor to diesel mode and the waste handler is ready to roll.
Funding Opportunities
The American Inflation Reduction Act offers opportunities for waste management companies to provide more effective solutions. The EPA offers $150 million USD to reduce emissions by replacing diesel-powered equipment with electric models. Work with a company that helps waste management operators to apply successfully for grants from these programs. Funding exists to integrate electric material handlers. Look for a supplier that offers waste specialists who can visit customers. They want to partner with customers to determine what is best for them.
Grant funding helps waste management companies increase production, safety, affordability, and sustainability. The waste market has a huge opportunity to take advantage of the functionality of going electric.| WA
Colleen Miller is Chief Sales Officer for SENNEBOGEN. For more information, visit .