Electric Revolution: What’s Powering Your Job Site?

August 28, 2024|Construction, Safety

By Milwaukee Tool, Contributor

• A growing slate of battery-powered equipment systems are now able to compete in an arena that’s been dominated by gas engines for decades.

Like many industries, construction is navigating an evolution from gas to electrical power. Overall demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to increase by more than 30% annually between now and 2030, according to the McKinsey & Company consultancy firm.

While the power tool space has long-since transitioned to cordless technology with the lithium-ion battery, light equipment is now experiencing its own mass-electrification as lithium-ion battery technology has continued to evolve. Delivering greater power, longer run-times, and more reliable performance, a growing slate of battery-powered equipment systems are now able to compete in an arena that’s been dominated by gas engines for decades.

The Benefits of Electrification

The shift toward electrification is driven by many safety and productivity benefits that make cordless solutions increasingly attractive to construction companies, general contractors, and skilled trade workers.

A major draw to battery-powered systems is that they eliminate gas headaches by eradicating noxious emissions and lowering noise levels. Some cordless equipment systems also provide a unified platform of solutions, all powered by the same interchangeable batteries. Furthermore, battery-powered alternatives are more reliable than gas, with push-button starts that consistently work under any conditions. Finally, a growing number of cities and states are beginning to pass laws that restrict the use of gas-powered equipment as lithium-ion battery technology evolves to deliver greater performance and sustainability benefits.

Eliminate Emissions

As the Center for Disease Control (CDC) notes, skilled trades professionals who regularly work with fume-emitting gas engines are at a higher risk of life-threatening carbon monoxide poisoning.[1] Gas emissions are especially damaging to workers when concentrated in indoor job sites and confined spaces with poor ventilation. Compared to gas alternatives, cordless power tools and equipment can be safely operated for longer periods without the need to install specialty ventilation to mitigate emissions

Reduce Noise

Another benefit of many battery-power solutions is their potential to dramatically reduce noise pollution on the job site. Roughly 22 million workers are exposed to dangerous levels of noise in the workplace every year, according to the CDC.[2] Battery-powered tools and equipment are much quieter in comparison, creating a safer and more productive job site. The lowered level of noise not only reduces the risk of hearing loss, but also makes it easier for operators to communicate clearly with one another, a necessity to site safety.

Boost Reliability

Cordless tools are more reliable than gas engines, with push-button starts that work every time. Comparatively, starting gas-powered equipment can be difficult, time-consuming, and inconsistent. With battery-powered equipment, users no longer need to worry about priming and choking the engine, ensuring the on/off switch and throttle are in the correct position, or navigating tricky pull-starts that jam up or simply refuse to turn the engine over. With lithium-ion battery-power, starting even the most heavy-duty piece of power equipment is as simple as pressing a button.

Evolve with Legislation

Depending on where users are working, it may no longer be legal to use certain types of gas-driven tools and equipment. Concerned about their negative environmental impacts, a growing number of cities and states have advanced laws restricting the use of gas-powered outdoor power equipment.[3]

Invest for the Long Term

Electrifying inventory can save contractors time and money in the long-term by eliminating fuel and engine maintenance expenses. With a single system of compatible batteries, contractors simply recharge battery-powered tools and equipment via on-site electrical utilities instead of paying for gas. Meanwhile, battery power doesn’t have the same upkeep needs as gas engines, which routinely require parts like air filters and pull-start cords to be replaced.

Increase Compatibility

Contractors can streamline their operations by adopting top-to-bottom battery-powered solutions like the MX FUEL™ system by Milwaukee Tool. Instead of managing a variety of fuel types for different tools, a contractor using a system like MX FUEL™ can run upwards of 20 tools on the same battery platform.

Stay on the Cutting Edge

Cordless tools and equipment are in a constant state of evolution. The lithium-ion batteries of today run longer, charge faster, offer more power, and are more reliable than their ancestors from 10 years ago. Meanwhile, the efficiency and power of gas engines has remained largely unchanged over the last several decades. This continuous advancement has positioned cordless tools and equipment to surpass gas-driven alternatives in the years to come.

With power tools having already cut the cord, construction equipment are now poised for an electric revolution of their own as overall demand for lithium-ion power rises over the next decade. From their elimination of gas emissions to their constant evolution, battery-powered tools and equipment deliver a range of benefits that increase efficiency and improve safety on the job site.