Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) will play a major role in exploring holistic net zero innovations for the construction industry together with CRH, the global leader in building materials solutions. It comes after CRH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Volvo Group.
The background to the MoU is the increasing demand for electrification in construction, mining, and agriculture vehicles due to emission reduction benefits. Significant investments in electric off-highway equipment, subsystems, and battery advancements by major manufacturers in the U.S., along with collaborations and funding ventures, are driving growth.
The strategic partnership will focus on electrification, charging infrastructure, low carbon fuels and renewable energy, which have the combined potential to reduce emissions.
With an ambition to explore decarbonization opportunities across transport, operations and materials, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Volvo Group and CRH on November 13. As part of this strategic agreement, Volvo CE will take on responsibility for next generation technology deployment, the scaling up of cutting edge technology and operational efficiency for the off-road segment in a bid to reduce carbon emissions, while maintaining high levels of productivity.
While it is not yet determined which solutions will be included in the scope, it is likely to involve vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure to reduce transport emissions, productivity and sustainability services and the deployment of low-carbon fuels for both on-road and off-road equipment.
Volvo CE already has a productive collaboration with CRH spanning many years, resulting in the handover of North America’s first machine made using fossil free steel, a Volvo A30G articulated hauler. It is now operating at Pennsy Supply, a CRH company in North America.
Another pioneering partnership recently saw the two companies collaborate in a Low Carbon Roads event, where CRH company Tarmac put to work three zero-emission Volvo CE machines on the maintenance of a highway in Durham, UK. The L120H Electric Conversion wheel loader, L25 Electric compact wheel loader and EC230 Electric excavator were tested over three separate days last month.
