Zero-emission work at the Binnenhof
The renovation of the Binnenhof in The Hague is a remarkable project. Not only because of its historic location, but also because the work is being carried out completely emission-free. One of the companies involved in this project is Van Beek Infra. For the work on site, they are using two fully electric Limach excavators: an EC60 (pictured) and an E88.
The EC60 is currently operating on the archaeological site at the Binnenhof.
Behind the joysticks is Cees, who has been working at Van Beek Infra for over forty years. Together with his colleague Henk (pictured), operator of the E88, which is used for excavation work related to the installation of district heating, he works daily with the electric machines on this special project.
For Cees, switching to electric was mainly a matter of simply getting started.
“I’m quite easy-going, just start digging and see how it goes,” he says. “In the beginning you tend to check the battery percentage more often. That’s a bit different from a diesel machine, where you just refuel when it’s empty. Now you’re a bit more aware of when to connect it to the charger. But in terms of digging performance, it certainly doesn’t fall short of a diesel machine. It’s just great to work with.”
Charging the machine now fits seamlessly into the working day. At the end of the afternoon, the machine is connected to the charger, and the next morning it is fully charged and ready to go again.
“By the end of the day there’s usually still around 30 to 40 percent left,” Cees explains. “For the archaeological work here, it easily lasts the whole day.”
Cees has previously worked with electric excavators from other brands and noticed clear differences. What stands out most to him is the ease of use of the Limach machines. The battery swap system is a major advantage, allowing the battery to be changed easily when needed.
Finally, the most important question: would he recommend a Limach machine to other operators? His answer comes without hesitation:
“Yes!
Especially because of the simple charging process and the easy battery swap system. And besides that, it’s simply a great machine to operate. Nothing to complain about.”
With those words, we conclude the conversation.
Thanks for your time, gentlemen, and best of luck with the ongoing work at the Binnenhof!
