Volvo electric equipment is key to ambitious sustainability goals of Swedish project

The redevelopment of the ‘Slakthusområdet' or meat-packing area in central Stockholm is a large project with ambitious sustainability and innovation goals. Over the first phase, concluding in early 2025, the project has achieved carbon dioxide savings of 2,759 tons, a feat that earned it the ‘Sustainable Construction Project of the Year' award at the annual Swedish Green Building Awards. 

Electric construction equipment is key to climate goals

The use of electric equipment has been integral to the project's sustainability goals. Just two years ago, a goal of employing 10 percent electric machines was considered an impressive target for the fossil-free construction site. Today, that goal has risen to 50 percent after the successful first phase that not only proved electric machinery's feasibility but also delivered numerous additional benefits. Electric machines from Volvo CE have been a large part of the project's success so far.

Three electric machines from Volvo CE, including two Volvo EC230 Electric crawler excavators and one L120H Electric Conversion wheel loader are currently working to lower the ground, excavate approximately 68,000 square metres of soil and rock, fill in a work tunnel, and prepare the area for utility systems. 

The machines, affectionately nicknamed Electra, Ellen, and Elton by the team, will soon be joined by two electric trucks with trailers, including a Volvo electric truck, set to arrive in early 2025, an electric powered sorting tool, electric compaction tool, and hand-operated electric machines. Charging infrastructure is supplied by Eviny, and consists of two fast chargers and three battery packs. 

"The first phase showed the effectiveness of electric machines in performing tasks while significantly reducing carbon emissions," says Fredrik Tjernström, head of electromobility solutions sales at Volvo CE. "This is invaluable for city center projects to help municipalities meet their emission reduction targets and enhance air quality, as well as reducing noise levels for everyone's benefit."

More ambitious targets for Phase Two 

According to Stockholm's project planners, the project is a testbed for more sustainable construction and demonstrates the enormous and often untapped potential of fossil-free procurement contracts as a driver for change. Looking ahead to the second phase, the climate ambitions are even more progressive — a challenge that Volvo CE, along with contractors Skanska and Swecon, are fully prepared to deliver, they say.

Carbon calculations: A game changer

Stockholm City aims to be climate positive by 2030 and fossil-fuel free by 2040. Fossil-free requirements in contracts play a crucial role in reaching these targets. In this new phase of the project, the aim is to reduce emissions even further by going under the target of 3.5 tons of carbon per SEK 1 million turnover. This is a dramatic decrease on the 11 to 29 tons typically emitted in similar projects. The increase in electric operation also reflects rapid advancements in electric machine technologies.

"In the City of Stockholm, we recognize the vital role we must play in accelerating the transition to fossil-free construction sites," says Anders Österberg, deputy mayor of Stockholm and chair of the City Development Committee. "The City of Stockholm has a goal of becoming climate positive by 2030. To reach this goal we need to continue to require the use of electrically powered construction vehicles and fossil-free construction sites in our procurement."

The ambitious sustainability targets for Phase Two include:

• 100 percent fossil-fuel free site operations through the use of HVO100 fuel and increasing electric operation from 10 percent to 50 percent 
• The use of climate-reduced concrete
• Delivering on the carbon calculation