Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has delivered the world’s first A30 Electric articulated haulers to LNS (Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner AS) for use on a Hafslund hydropower project, representing a significant advance in the electrification of heavy equipment.
The deployment at a Norwegian hydroelectric power plant highlights how zero-emission solutions can support more sustainable infrastructure and energy production.
The A30 Electric is part of Volvo CE’s growing portfolio of battery-electric machines and is the world’s first serial produced electric articulated hauler in its size class, delivering zero-emission performance in demanding applications, Volvo CE said.
A total of four A30 Electric articulated haulers has been delivered, with a further three scheduled to follow next month. The machines will be used by LNS, one of Norway’s largest contractors, on behalf of Hafslund Kraft AS, for the construction of the Hemsil 3 power plant in the Hallingdal region, spanning the Hemsedal and Gol municipalities.
The project, expected to be completed in 2029, will increase annual energy production by around 110 GWh. To help reduce project-related greenhouse gas emissions, electric equipment such as the Volvo A30 Electric will play a key role in construction.
The machines made the 700 km journey from Volvo CE’s Braås site in Sweden, where they are produced, to the Hemsil 3 site on Volvo trucks, travelling through Norway’s mountain landscape to reach the hydropower site in Hallingdal.
Lars Oust, Project Manager at Hafslund Kraft, said: “Hafslund has a strong environmental focus and takes a forward-leaning approach to electrifying construction operations on our projects. To succeed in the green transition, we need to adopt new technology and take the lead as a client, driving demand for this type of equipment. That’s why being the first in the world to use electric haulers is so important to us.”
The machines will be used in the construction of an approximately 20 km tunnel, where their zero-emission operation makes them ideally suited for enclosed and sensitive working environments, the company said. -TradeArabia News Service