Premiere: Cementation Skanska uses first grid-powered Bauer drilling rig

London, UK – Cementation Skanska and BAUER Maschinen GmbH have jointly brought the world's first electric, large rotary drilling rig to the High Speed 2 (HS2) project in London. Instead of a diesel engine, the BAUER eBG33 has a powerful electric drive. Thanks to a dedicated on-site sub-station, Cementation Skanska can operate the machine with zero local emissions. 
 

This innovative rig proves that heavy-duty, electrically powered construction equipment can perform the same tasks as conventional equipment and is a further step towards diesel-free construction sites in the future. The eBG 33 has been operational for almost 500 hours on this project which means a considerable CO₂ saving. Additionally, the noise reductions are significant, with base carrier noise levels of 50% less, compared to a conventional rig.

Andrew Entwistle, Operations Director at Cementation Skanska, emphasizes: “The emission-free capability of this rig is an exciting step forward in our net zero ambitions. This type of innovation sits at the heart of our carbon reduction strategy and supports HS2 with its ambition for all its construction sites to be diesel free by 2029. Not only has it been valuable for us to work with the eBG 33 first hand on a live project, but it has provided an important opportunity to demonstrate the potential of all-electric heavy plant to the wider industry.”

Warren Arnold, General Manager of BAUER Equipment UK Ltd, says: “We are delighted to be working with Cementation on this project to deliver this world first use of a fully local emission free, high-capacity drilling rig. We are all incredibly proud of this unique rig which is setting standards. All the data recorded during operation will help Bauer in the further development of our environmentally friendly rigs and in our ambition to be the leading supplier of sustainable equipment for specialist foundation engineering. This really is a great opportunity to showcase what the eBG 33 can deliver in real terms and the benefits to the local community and environment.”

This deployment run is a continuation of work carried out as part of the HS2 project in Birmingham, where the rig was powered by a generator. There, the cable handling was tested for the very first time in a live environment. With the ability to connect the unit to the local power grid in London, Bauer and Cementation were able to put the eBG 33 through its paces and gather valuable data on power consumption throughout the piling operation. This data will be used in the further development of the battery-powered eB