PRESS RELEASE - HULL TRIALS ELECTRIC: CUTTING CARBON WITH ECOPROCESS
Council trial of Ecoprocess electric bin lift finds fuel consumption reduced by 13.7%, representing annual savings of 5.51 tonnes of CO2 and £1,438 in fuel costs.
Hull City Council is aiming for a greener, more efficient waste collection system for its residents by trialling the Ecoprocess Isbjörn electric bin lift.
The fuel consumption trial was organised as part of Hull’s ongoing efforts to improve their efficiency and environmental performance, and the results from a vigorous five month test period show significant improvements in carbon emissions, fuel efficiency and waste collection, equating to a carbon saving of 5.51 tonnes of CO2 per year on the trial vehicle.
In March 2007, the hydraulic lift, twin hydraulic pump and 140 amp hour chassis batteries on an existing two year-old Hull City Council RCV were replaced with an Ecoprocess Isbjörn electric bin lift, single stage hydraulic pump and up-rated 180 amp hour chassis batteries. The fuel consumption and fuel efficiency was then measured against a base line of the previous 12 months of operations and showed that the vehicle collected on average 46 kg more refuse per litre of fuel (consuming 3.09 litres less fuel) whilst saving an average of 21 operational minutes per day.
Ecoprocess then altered the Isbjörn’s programming parameters to take advantage of its ability for basic “on the fly” weighing which is achieved through electrical resistance on the drive motors when the bins are lifted. This allowed the lift to activate the packing mechanism when a fixed weight across both bins was lifted and emptied into the hopper, instead of activating the packer every time a bin was emptied.
This programme change further increased the vehicle’s efficiency. Figures indicated that overall fuel efficiency (weight lifted per litre of fuel used) improved by 13.7% above the pre trial baseline data, with fuel consumption being reduced by seven litres per day (1,843 litres per year). Based upon current market fuel prices, this would equate to a net saving of approx £1,438 in annual fuel costs.
Hull City Council was impressed with the Isbjörn performance. The crew noticed a drop in the amount of fuel the RCV required for its regular rounds, which was confirmed by the trial’s results.
Garry Middleton, Specialist Engineering and Corporate Fleet Manager at Hull City Council who co-ordinated the trial commented: “The trial proved the Isbjörn lift’s ability to meet with our key objectives: fast, efficient and quiet operations, with proven fuel savings potential at a level to offset the required capital investment, together with the minimisation of environmental damage through reduced carbon emissions.”
Garry commented that he looks forward to seeing how the Ecoprocess equipment holistically measures up over an even longer period of use, adding: “Maintenance so far has been very simple and based on current observations we are confident that the machinery’s operational integrity will be sustainable.”
Improving environmental performance is a key objective of Hull City Council, and a number of projects are underway to help reduce carbon emissions from its fleet and waste collection operations. For example the vehicle maintenance depot is powered from renewable sources of electricity, and vehicle tyres are inflated using nitrogen. The use of nitrogen within the tyres assists in longer term accurate pressure retention throughout each operational day, achieving fuel savings of around 1.5% to 2%. This also has the natural advantage of improving tyre life through reduced wear. In addition, the council has spearheaded an initiative with the Fleet “Carbon Offset” Woodland Project to plant 55,000 trees over a 10-year period on council land. The project is sponsored in partnership with the council’s vehicle, equipment and goods suppliers, while the trees are planted by local schoolchildren and community groups to help raise awareness of environmental and climate change issues.
Garry Middleton maintains: “Reducing the carbon impact of collection operations is best achieved through a holistic approach, looking at reductions across the life of every vehicle. We operate around 40 domestic RCV’s throughout Hull, so the Isbjörn lift has the potential to assist in contributing toward fuel and carbon savings.”
A similar level of fuel reduction was achieved in a trial with Greenwich Council last year and the process of emptying bins was also found to be quieter, preventing disturbance of residents early in the morning. Ecoprocess is now embarking on trials with Poole Borough Council.
Developed in partnership with leading specialists in waste collection, Ecoprocess provides innovative solutions to RCV bin lifting providing fast, efficient and lightweight operations. By reducing the weight on the rear axle, the gross payload of the vehicle is improved, and because the lifts are powered electrically via the vehicle’s batteries/alternator, reduced fuel consumption comes as standard. Ecoprocess bin lifts are interchangeable, clean and easy to service, whilst the controlled power and soft motion means that virtually no noise is generated. Remote diagnostics and maintenance help minimise the potential for downtime, as repairs can be made away from the depot.
The electrically-activated lifts have smooth surfaces, power regulation, obstacle detection and padded safety barriers covering the operating zone. Individual controls and emergency stop buttons are included on both sides of the lift and if the bins exceed safe weight limits the lifts are stopped automatically.