Pursuing sustainability on the Oak Ridge Reservation

The Oak Ridger
·2 min read

Developing more sustainable ways to perform work is a continuous focus on the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Reservation.

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management (OREM) and contractor UCOR made major contributions to help environmental management reach last year’s goal to bring at least 150 electric vehicles to the cleanup program’s fleet, according to a UCOR news release.

Employees recently conducted a demonstration of this hybrid excavator at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The equipment offers more efficiency, and it also operates much more quietly than current equipment.
Employees recently conducted a demonstration of this hybrid excavator at the East Tennessee Technology Park. The equipment offers more efficiency, and it also operates much more quietly than current equipment.

This year, OREM and UCOR have their sights set on bigger goals and bigger vehicles.

Previous initiatives focused on passenger fleet vehicles and computer equipment. Now, UCOR is exploring ways to introduce more sustainable equipment to field operations.

Swinging movement charges electric motor on hybrid excavator

Team members just performed a demonstration of a hybrid excavator, and UCOR is considering adding it to the equipment lineup. The excavator has both a diesel and electric engine. The concept is similar to a hybrid car, but as the equipment rotates, a swinging movement charges the electric motor.

The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management’s projects at the East Tennessee Technology Park have involved substantial excavation. That work is scheduled to be completed this year, but much more remains at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex in the years ahead.
The Oak Ridge Office of Environmental Management’s projects at the East Tennessee Technology Park have involved substantial excavation. That work is scheduled to be completed this year, but much more remains at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex in the years ahead.

“This piece of technology enhances production and embodies sustainability, and the workers really like using it,” Leah Beckworth, UCOR environmental compliance and sustainability manager, is quoted as saying in the news release.

She also points out that the hybrid excavator provides an extra safety feature because it operates much more quietly than conventional heavy equipment.

UCOR performed the demonstration at the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), where crews are completing major soil remediation efforts requiring a great deal of excavation.

Finishing soil remediation projects there is an environmental priority for 2024, and there is much more work ahead at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 National Security Complex requiring heavy equipment.

“One of the things that struck me the most is the efficiency,” said Jimmy Hughes, area project manager for the ETTP enterprise. “Often these machines are considered the one-trick pony of being more sustainable. But with the instant power ability, as well as the more efficient swinging ability of this machine, it would equate into our crews being able to load debris and move it offsite quicker.”

The contractor’s equipment vendor is working to get some hybrid machines added to its lease fleet. With the positive results of the demonstration, officials say leasing this type of equipment in the future is likely.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: Pursuing sustainability on the Oak Ridge Reservation