The job was part of a National Highways scheme to to upgrade the East Anglian road. The agency has been using the project as part of its programme to decarbonise road building. Designer WSP and supplier Heidelberg Materials had committed to resurfacing the section between Acle and Great Yarmouth as sustainably as possible, using over 90% recycled materials.
An Ammann eABG 4820 was chosen to match these sustainability targets. It is, Amman says, the largest electric paver on the market, capable of a daily output of 1,200 tonnes while delivering a 70% reduction in CO鈧� emissions compared to its diesel equivalent. It is equipped with Variomatic screed paving widths up to 6.5m, and an output of 500t per hour.
Heidelberg Materials site manager Jake Giddings said, 鈥溾�淭he Ammann paver worked to the same high standard as the diesel version and the battery lasted better than expected. We鈥檇 start a shift on 95% and end on 40% charge.
鈥淭he tonnage we鈥檙e doing here a night is quite significant compared to other highway schemes. They might only do 100-200t a night whereas we鈥檙e doing 500-600r so it was a good site to trial the paver on to give a good judgement of range and to put it through its paces.鈥�
To further reduce the overall carbon footprint of the project, Heidelberg Materials built a recycling plant close to the site. Not only did this help to save carbon due to the short distance from the plant to where the road is being resurfaced but it also provided the perfect place to charge the paver during the day with low carbon hydrogen low loaders providing the transport.
The paver worked alongside an electric Amman eARX 26-2 light tandem vibratory roller. Giddings said, 鈥淭he electric roller has completed four nights without needing a charge. The diesel equivalent would only manage a night and a half and that鈥檚 been a massive surprise. I thought we鈥檇 be getting halfway through the night and start thinking about charging but it鈥檚 kept going and going. I鈥檝e been really impressed.鈥�
The crew were pleased with the paver. Screwman Paul Hanslip, responsible for controlling screed depth, said, 鈥淭he roller has worked really well. It鈥檚 been really good for battery life and it鈥檚 strangely quiet, in a good way.鈥�
Driver Kevin Rolfe added, 鈥淲e鈥檝e driven other electric machines where the motors whirred and whistled but this machine is really quiet which is handy. It鈥檚 so much easier to talk to people than shouting or beeping the horn, it鈥檚 a big advantage safety wise. Once you get used to the controls you forget that you鈥檙e on an electric paver. There鈥檚 no difference whatsoever.鈥�
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