In Leiden, construction company Dura Vermeer is building Nexus, a sustainable life sciences facility targeting a BREEAM Excellent certification. To support both this ambition and Dura Vermeer’s Net Zero goals, foundation engineering specialist Fundex developed an emission-free electric drilling and piling rig. The rig is powered by a custom battery-swapping system supplied by  Greener Power Solutions a provider of mobile energy solutions. Greener’s system uses battery storage solutions from Alfen, enabling the rig to operate entirely without on-site emissions. 

Innovating Together 

Marnix Griffioen, Sales Manager at Greener, explains: “A foundation had to be built for a large building, and the entire process needed to be carried out fully electrically and without emissions. We collaborated with several companies to assemble this complete solution.” 

Twan de Zwart, Project Coordinator at Dura Vermeer, adds: “What makes this so innovative is that we have a Net Zero strategy, and we now want to take the next step with piling operations. That is unique in the market. We are very pleased that we were able to make this possible together with Fundex and Greener.” 

Toby Maes, Deputy Director at Fundex, states: “This machine is one of the largest operating on Dutch soil. Its future potential is enormous!” 

The Challenge 

Powering a 53-meter-high, 210-ton piling rig electrically requires an enormous amount of energy. Construction sites do not always have access to a grid connection, while the Fundex F4800E requires 1,200–1,500 kWh per day—equivalent to the daily electricity consumption of approximately 150 households. 

To meet the project’s demanding schedule, operations must continue without interruption. 

Toby Maes explains: “These power levels are not available at every construction site. That is why we turned to Greener and the battery systems they offer as part of their portfolio.” 

The Solution 

Using batteries supplied by Alfen, Greener developed a battery swapping system that ensures a continuous supply of electricity. 

Robin Scheick, System Specialist at Greener, explains: “It is a three-stage system. We placed a large battery on the back of the machine, made one battery mobile, and installed another battery directly at the grid connection. Instead of running a long cable across the site—where it could be damaged by construction equipment—we chose to shuttle a battery back and forth, discharging it as quickly as possible into the battery mounted on the piling rig.” 

Drawing on extensive expertise and reliable components, Greener delivered a sustainable solution that operates without emissions, without the noise of a diesel generator, and without damaging the surrounding natural environment. 

Further Applications 

Greener batteries have previously been deployed in the construction and infrastructure sector to power a 235-ton drilling rig used for the construction of a tunnel for underground high-voltage cables, as well as for horizontal drilling projects in city centers. 

In addition, Greener Power Solutions provides mobile battery systems for: 

• Events
• Grid services
• EV charging
• Rental companies
• Shore power applications

These solutions help accelerate the transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy use across a wide range of industries.