Sustainable dyke reinforcement in the Netherlands

This summer, the Tiel-Waardenburg dyke reinforcement project achieved an impressive milestone: more than 100,000 operating hours with electric equipment.

From trucks and cranes to shovels and sheet piles, an average of 45 electric machines are operating on the construction site daily. This has already resulted in a CO₂ reduction of over 4,600 tonnes, which is expected to increase to 7,600 tonnes by the time of completion.

The Mekante Diek consortium, consisting of Van Oord, Dura Vermeer and Ploegam, is carrying out the dyke reinforcement project on behalf of Rivierenland Water Board. This is the first dyke reinforcement project in the Netherlands to make such extensive use of electrical equipment.

“Together, we have achieved something here that few would have thought possible only 5 years ago. This is proof that guts, perseverance and collaboration can truly make a difference,” said Jules Janssen, project director at Mekante Diek.

The machines and batteries are charged at WattHub, a specially developed charging plaza at Geldermalsen, with 90% of the energy coming from sustainable sources.

This project will achieve a carbon emissions reduction of almost 50,000 tonnes, equivalent of driving 33 million kilometers by car. This was made possible by the use of electrical equipment, circular materials and technologies with a low carbon footprint.

The benefits extend beyond just a reduction in emissions and also include reuse and reduction of materials and designing for the future. “Rather than a step, this is a leap forward,” commented Koen van der Kroon, Tiel-Waardenburg project manager at Rivierenland Water Board.