New technology will benefit environment

An expert is predicting an increase in the use of battery powered equipment in the green services industry and says it will result in significant benefits for the environment.

Mark McKinnon, company engineer at national green services provider Glendale, says improvements made to lithium-ion battery technology have resulted in more power being available for longer, leading to less reliance on machinery which runs on petrol or diesel.

Glendale has already begun switching to using battery-powered machines including top handle chainsaws and strimmers, and Mark predicts that over the next five to ten years they will become the main type used in land-based industries.

“Because of an increase in the number of electric vehicles being created by companies such as Tesla and BMW, similar research and development is being fed into other industries and so the benefits are beginning to be shared,” explains Mark.

“As more companies start to utilise new battery technology, the most important benefits will be for the environment. There will be less reliance on fossil fuels, which when burned contribute to climate change, as well as a reduction in exhaust emissions. This will be of huge importance to help combat global warming.

“The machines are much quieter than their petrol or diesel counterparts, and lower noise pollution means less disruption to communities when work is being carried out in parks, cemeteries and residential areas.

“There are wider benefits too. Battery powered equipment is safer for workforces to operate because it has lower hand-arm vibration levels than petrol or diesel powered machines, so the risk of developing associated conditions such as vibration white finger is reduced.

“In addition to this, machines with fewer moving parts means fewer maintenance costs, and for industries in which financial pressures are being felt, this will be a key advantage.”