Image: Haulotte’s HA20 LE PRO Articulating Hybrid Boom Lift. Image courtesy of Haulotte.
For many companies, “going green” and the reduction of carbon emissions continues to be at the forefront of their future goals. As such, hire companies are taking the initiative and investing in hybrid equipment, including booms. So, what is a hybrid boom and how does it benefit businesses?
A hybrid boom is a boom lift that’s powered by electricity and fuel. This lets the operator switch between using a diesel-powered generator to power equipment, and with electricity that’s stored in batteries. It means operators can change the equipment’s power to suit the demands of the job, making them extremely efficient to operate.
Hybrid booms produce fewer emissions, they are quieter and economical. At this stage, the use of hybrid equipment in Australian construction has been relatively slow, but we can expect this to change into the future as companies are more focused on reducing emissions and noise.
In 2019, Coates Hire, for example, ordered a number of 20m hybrid booms that were trialled across the country. The hybrid booms were found to outperform diesel booms in the time it takes to reach full height, and preserve battery power by using gravity to lower the basket.
Hybrid technology is constantly improving and there are many benefits, including the following:
Saves energy
If you’re hiring equipment, you might find hybrid booms cost slightly more than traditional diesel booms. However, with a hybrid you have the option to switch between diesel and electric resulting in lower fuel costs.
Greater productivity
If there’s one thing all businesses want and need, it’s better productivity. With hybrid booms, you can achieve greater performance – this is due to a range of features, including:
- Allowing both fuel sources to be used at the same time to boost performance
- Higher capacity batteries extend electric operating times
- Automatic charging allows continuous operation on some hybrid models
- Intuitive maintenance reduces downtime and enhances productivity
- Cleaner and quieter compared to diesel booms, making them better for indoor or underground use
Sophisticated
Modern hybrid booms are robust and provide a competitive alternative to an electric or standalone diesel boom. By switching between two fuel sources, you can get better performance from the boom – and you can tailor this to suit particular environments and terrain. They can also be optimised for indoor or outdoor use and features like the Stop Emission System ensures the machine is automatically turned off after 90 seconds of inactivity.
Simple maintenance
Earlier versions of the hybrid boom proved hard to repair, but thanks to new technologies, the diagnostic capabilities of today’s machines are much better. With fault finding AI, remote dial-ins and troubleshooting available on some machines, it makes for easy maintenance if something does go wrong.
Coates Hire has a growing fleet of knuckle booms, including hybrid, electric and diesel, and will continue to invest in sustainable access equipment. If you want to know more about the system or to find out how you can hire one, get in touch with the team today.
This partner content was brought to you by Coates Hire. For more information, please visit www.coateshire.com.au/knuckle-booms.
