Kier has trialled a flywheel using technology similar to that used in Formula 1 cars to assess if it can reduce the energy required to power a static crane.
The Punch Flybrid flywheel, provided with support from Sunbelt Rentals, aims to decrease fuel usage by storing energy during the crane’s operation, which can then be re-employed to power the crane, in a system similar to the F1 Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS).
A trial at Kier’s Shakespeare North Playhouse site in Knowsley showed that the fuel consumption was reduced by 40%, which also resulted in 40% less carbon being produced.
The main objectives of the trial were carbon savings and a reduction in pollutants by reducing the size of the generator required to power the crane, as well as providing social value benefits to the surrounding community, including reduced air pollution and fewer traffic movements.
Gary Wintersgill, managing director at Kier Regional Building North & Scotland, said: “At Kier, we are passionate about becoming a more sustainable business and an important element of this is working collaboratively with our supply chain partners to trial brand-new innovative technologies. We are continuing to use the Punch Flybrid flywheel technology on the Shakespeare North site and are assessing other sites that could also benefit from it.”
Mark Bown, national account manager at Sunbelt Rental, said: “Sunbelt Rentals and Kier have been working together in partnership to reduce CO2 impact and provide social value to local communities of Kier sites. This technology is a large step in the right direction to move towards net-zero carbon.”
Tobias Knichel, managing director at Punch Flybrid, said: “Deploying a single flywheel system with this tower crane removes the equivalent emissions of 17 road cars from our city centres. I applaud Kier and Sunbelt Rentals for being the very first innovators to operate the flywheel energy storage system on a live construction site. Such forward thinking leadership deserves the very positive results achieved during this trial.”
Kier aims to achieve net-zero carbon across its own operations and supply chain by 2045.
