L-R: Tom Gillibrand, Gordon Marr, Daniel Murphy, Dane Morrison
Multiplex, Marr Contracting, Lendlease and the NSW Government have partnered to pioneer the use of renewable diesel for cranes – a move set to fast-track the Australian construction industry’s journey to net-zero carbon emissions.
The NSW Government’s new Sydney Fish Market construction will be Australia’s first to employ HVO100 fuel to power its tower crane, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from crane operations by up to 90 per cent over the life cycle of the fuel compared to fossil diesel.
HVO100 is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels commonly used in transportation and aviation. It is chemically equivalent to normal diesel and may be used in machines without modification.
Marr Contracting collaborated with the Australian Government to facilitate the first shipment of HV0100 to Australia in August 2022, becoming the country’s first enterprise to use the 100 per cent renewable diesel.
Lendlease is already using renewable diesel in the majority of construction projects in the United Kingdom, including Google’s London headquarters, and is using its global experience to share lessons learned with government and industry, as well as to ease the supply chain into the use of renewable diesel in Australia.
David Paterson, Managing Director Construction, Lendlease Australia said he hopes the announcement inspires collective actions form Australian contractors, the supply chain and customers.
Lendlease is aiming to achieve ‘absolute zero carbon’ across investment management, development and construction globally by 2040.
Construction accounts for 23 per cent of worldwide glasshouse gas emissions, with around 5.5 per cent of these emissions directly caused by powering construction machinery and equipment, primarily through the use of fossil fuels such as mineral diesel.
Multiplex Regional Managing Director, David Ghannoum, said this renewable fuel initiative is an evolution of Multiplex’s decarbonisation strategy – in place for more than 10 years – and solidifies its global commitment to reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
“We are committed to gearing our bids towards being on time, on budget and on carbon, and finding ways to reduce emissions from the machinery on our sites will be a significant part of this,” he said.
Multiplex, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, was the first contractor in the world to sign the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Commitment in 2019. It was a founding member of the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living, a national research and innovation.