Replacing diesel generators on construction sites

A battery energy system reduces the noise, carbon emissions, and air pollution generated by building projects

Spotted: What powers all the cranes, hoists, and welders you see on a construction site? The answer is almost always diesel. Most sites run on noisy, polluting generators – one of the reasons why the construction sector is responsible for 11 per cent of global carbon emissions. These diesel generators also damage the health of local people – particularly in the tightly packed urban areas where most projects take place.

But diesel power no longer needs to be the default for the construction sector. Based in Hong Kong, Ampd Energy sees an ‘emissions-free future for construction’, and the startup has developed a compact and connected battery energy system to make this vision a reality. Called the ‘Enertainer’, the software-driven system can power anything electrical, but it is most effective for high-power equipment such as cranes and pumps.

It uses lithium-ion batteries similar to those found in electric vehicles. The system is designed to accept any input power source but, most often, it is plugged into a temporary power connection provided by the local utility company. Accompanying the physical system is a monitoring and data platform accessible through a phone or laptop.

Over 100 Enertainers are currently in use across 70 major construction projects, and the system is available in China, Singapore, Australia, and the UK.

Other innovations making construction more efficient and sustainable include a platform using AI to digitise the concrete industry, robots that reduce errors at the start of projects, and a new type of vaulted floor that reduces concrete use and emissions.

Written By: Matthew Hempstead