Video | Contractors put first Liebherr LB 30 unplugged electric drilling rig in Canada to the test

The project, in Calgary, Alberta sits close to a hospital and required a machine that generated low noise levels, improving safety for medical staff and patients by allowing them to hear emergency vehicles more easily.

Contractor Graham and deep foundation subcontractor Ki International operated the machine in temperatures as low as -36C on a site that sits close to the Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary Cancer Centre and UXBorough project.

Ki International Ltd. is using the Kelly method with the Liebherr drilling rig to construct 22 cast-in-place piles for the overpass. The largest of these have a diameter of 1,000 mm and are 18 m deep. Mud, water and sand make the ground very soft, which is why the entire drilling depth has to be cased.

Gordon Williamson, owner of Ki International said, “We saw the LB 30 unplugged as an opportunity to do something good for our society. It is imperative that construction machines with electric drives have a future in Canada in order to steer our economy towards sustainability.”

“We wanted a difficult task. One that would really put the machine to the test. We got what we wanted.”

Jason Lin, project manager for the City of Calgary, added, “We are proud that this emission-free technology is being used in Canada for the first time. Zero emission aligns with our policies and our climate strategy. The use of such machines will help us to reduce greenhouse gases. That is very important for us.”

The Liebherr LB30 unplugged drilling rig in Calgary, Canada (Image: Liebherr)