I tested a 55,000-pound electric excavator. New ways to power off-road machines, which mostly run on diesel, could cut about 3 percent of U.S. carbon emissions.

  • TWeaK@lemm.eeEnglish
    31·
    8 months ago
    1. It’s not always practical to get power to a site, depending on the utility and whatever upgrades they need.
    2. Solar doesn’t generate enough, and doesn’t generate at all overnight (when plant would be charged).
    3. Most plant lives on site and transporting it off site to charge is just going to add to costs and likely increase pollution (you need lorries to move them).

    It’s a good idea, and one that’s growing, but it’s still niche and it will be a long time before construction sites are fully electric.