Powering electric tower cranes by solar energy for sustainable construction

The construction industry is responsible for many negative environmental impacts that include emissions, waste generation, and the use of land, water, and energy. Most previous construction research attention has focussed on the environmental impacts only for material selection and building operation. Nevertheless, the high electrical demand that comes from the use of construction equipment on-site, mainly tower cranes, is considered a critical component of construction sites that is responsible for a significant volume of CO2 emissions and energy consumption. This research aims to study the feasibility of using photovoltaic (PV) systems to power the electric tower cranes used on construction sites, using as a case study The Mall of the Emirates' expansion project in Dubai. Two concepts of PV systems were designed to power the seven cranes used on site; one connected (on-grid) and the other as a hybrid PV/Diesel system (off-grid). The results indicated that for both cases the solar systems supplied electricity with competitive costs, and reduced the greenhouse gases by substantial amounts. The results are then generalized for different climatic regions; especially for less solar blessed regions. Finally, managerial and policy implications of the study are discussed.