CICERO — National Grid (NYSE: NGG) says it is one of the first utilities to incorporate a fully electric-powered backhoe into its fleet. The company is working with John Deere to test a fully electric backhoe that it contends performs “equivalently” to other diesel-powered equipment. National Grid on May 18 offered a demonstration at its […]
CICERO — National Grid (NYSE: NGG) says it is one of the first utilities to incorporate a fully electric-powered backhoe into its fleet.
The company is working with John Deere to test a fully electric backhoe that it contends performs “equivalently” to other diesel-powered equipment.
National Grid on May 18 offered a demonstration at its Beacon North Service Center at 7496 Round Pond Road in Cicero.
The utility says construction sites are “noisy places” with heavy, diesel-fueled equipment digging, moving and lifting materials, and the use of an electric backhoe can make them quieter, greener worksites.
“The battery-powered backhoe is performing similarly to its diesel-fueled counterpart that we use in the field,” Holly Oyer, National Grid director of gas field operations for Central New York, said. “There are many advantages of using this equipment, chief among them is the noise reduction on the work site, allowing for better communication between supervisors and crew members while a job is in progress.”
Using battery-operated equipment will help National Grid reach its companywide emissions target of net zero by 2050 and supports the company’s initiatives to increase the number of electric vehicles across its service area, the utility said.
“National Grid is leading the way on incorporating battery-powered construction equipment into our business, and this new backhoe loader directly supports our efforts to reach the goal of zero-emissions by 2050,” Rudy Wynter, National Grid’s New York president, said. “We are taking this step in committing to sustainability in all matters of our business, from reducing waste, to fleet management and community improvement, to help achieve this target.”
The backhoe is equipped with the John Deere-developed E-Power battery, electric-vehicle design.
“This project is another stepping-stone in our backhoe innovation journey, and we’re excited about what we can learn from this phase for subsequent electrification testing and design refinement,” Brian Hennings, product manager of backhoes at John Deere, said.
National Grid is an electricity, natural gas, and clean-energy delivery company serving more than 20 million customers through its networks in New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.