Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
With the 2050 climate goals in sight, construction, installation and infrastructure companies are taking more and more measures to make their materials and equipment more sustainable. Versluys Group is also highly committed to electrification. Following on from an electric roller and various electric shovels, this specialist in road construction and maintenance has recently taken the first 100% electric shovel truck into service. Top Systems took care of the engineering, delivery and commissioning of the complete energy system.
Versluys Group is a family business, founded in 1898, which is primarily engaged in the design of public spaces in Hollands Midden. This can include road construction and maintenance, as well as lineation and marking projects, traffic engineering and traffic management. "Moreover, with our share in an asphalt mill, we have an important role in asphalt production," says director Patrick van Wijngaarden. "We work mostly at the municipal and provincial level, whether or not in cooperation with other SMEs. Sustainability plays an important role in all our projects. In addition to an intrinsic motivation to work in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, this allows us to respond to the wishes and requirements imposed by the government and other clients. By presenting ourselves as a sustainable contractor, we also want to be an attractive employer for existing and new employees."
"We feel responsible for the individual well-being of our employees," Van Wijngaarden emphasizes. "This has led to several sustainable initiatives in recent years. For example, in October 2020 and as the first infrastructure company in the world, we introduced an electric roller. In addition, we have several electric shovels. On our roof is a large number of solar panels, which we use to charge our electric (small) equipment. We recently added a sustainable and 100% electric utility vehicle. We are also going to electrify our management unit in the near future. Where possible, we work with low-temperature asphalt mixtures based on linseed oil, as well as a stabilized semi-paving (Gravilyn) for hiking and biking trails using only natural ingredients. In addition, we are currently surveying the possibilities for hydrogen cars for transporting asphalt and an electric asphalt machine, with the goal of continually reducing our carbon footprint."
Working with as many local parties as possible aligns perfectly with this ambition. "The electric utility vehicle is a great example of this," said Van Wijngaarden. "Like us, Top Systems is based in Bodegraven. Moreover, the company is very well regarded in the market when it comes to consulting and supplying energy systems. Our ambition was an emission-neutral utility vehicle. We discussed this extensively with other SME companies and on their advice we ended up with Top Systems. We purchased a small utility vehicle measuring 4.10 x 2.76 meters. Top Systems then designed a custom energy system, which we built into our utility vehicle in-house and with the help of clear installation diagrams." }
Among other things, the 100% electric utility vehicle will be used on projects for the Province of Utrecht, where Versluys Group maintains the roads in the eastern part. "The sustainable planing car had been a great desire for some time, but the tender by the Province of Utrecht has accelerated the development," Van Wijngaarden said. On Jan. 13, 2020, the Province of Utrecht and 36 municipalities and nine other provinces signed the Clean Air Agreement, which aims to reduce emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide from road traffic, mobile machinery, agriculture, shipping, industry and households. "The Clean Air Agreement builds on existing policies such as the Climate Agreement and the nitrogen approach and aims to reduce health damage from air pollution by half in 2030 compared to base year 2016," clarified Wim Dekker, Project Leader at the Province of Utrecht. "This is why, for example, the use of sustainable and low-emission materials and equipment is actively encouraged and rewarded on all our projects. Here, you can think of the use of electric cars, road construction equipment and small equipment, but thus also the 100% electric utility vehicle."
At the beginning of June, Versluys Group put the electric canteen truck into operation. In order to be able to supply the coffee maker, the lights, the laptops and the batteries of the electric hand tools with sufficient power, for example, Top Systems worked out a customized energy system. "At the basis of this system is an advanced Victron MultiPlus inverter-charger combination with an input voltage of 230 VAC / 24 VDC and an output power of 3,000 VA / 2,400 W," says Ronald van den Berg, Sector Specialist Construction, Installation and Infrastructure at Top Systems. "The MultiPlus has a power input for a generator or mains power and is connected to a 5 kWh lithium-ion battery from MG Energy Systems. The battery system is protected and monitored 24/7 by an MG Master Battery Management Controller against overcharging, over discharging and over or under temperature. The Battery Management Controller also ensures proper battery balancing and monitors important parameters such as battery status and energy consumption. A Victron Cerbo GX communication module provides control and monitoring, while a Victron Cerbo GX Touch 50 touchscreen control panel provides real-time visibility of all values. The shed truck is also equipped with a mobile Victron GX GSM 4G modem, which also allows the values to be easily read and monitored remotely and through the Victron Remote Management portal."
"Four 330 Wp solar panels have been installed on top of the shelters using plastic spoilers, which charge the lithium-ion battery during the day," Van den Berg says. "A Victron BlueSolar MPPT solar charge controller converts the sustainably generated solar energy into the right charging current for the battery." A generator is also connected to the 230-volt input as a backup, according to Van Wijngaarden. "During our first project in Doorn, however, we didn't need this backup facility, even though the utility vehicle was used day and night! We are very satisfied with the system. In the future, when the existing shelters are due for replacement, we will switch to 100% electric with this as well. However, the next sustainability project on the agenda is our management unit. Top Systems will design, supply and commission the systems for this as well. The cooperation has been excellent for us. The lines of communication were short and questions were answered quickly. In addition, materials and advice were quickly anticipated."
