Powered access platforms are constantly advancing with new MEWP technologies that help increase the sustainability of your work-at-height.
From alternative fuel sources to the best scissor lift batteries, modern MEWP advancements make reducing emissions in your work-at-height much easier. In addition, Horizon Platforms is also working to be a thoroughly eco-conscious powered access supplier so that you can be assured of sustainability in every part of your platform hiring journey.
In this guide, we’ll explore the numerous ways you can use the new MEWP technologies available to maximise the sustainability of your access work, whether opting for a battery-powered cherry picker or choosing a manually operated personnel platform.
Electric- Powered MEWPs
To provide powered access options for those who wish to reduce their carbon footprint, electric scissor lifts and cherry pickers are becoming more and more advanced. These provide a low-emission alternative to hydraulic MEWPs, which use fossil fuels for power.
Since their creation, the efficiency of electric access platforms has come on leaps and bounds. For example, while an electric boom might have lasted only four hours on full charge a few years ago, batteries can now last up to three days on a single charge.
Thanks to these exciting developments, 80-85% of MEWPs are now electrically powered. The vast majority of MEWPs at Horizon are electric, with our other offerings being hybrid or wind-up. We still have fully diesel-powered lifts through our elite nationwide partner network.
What Are The Benefits of Electric MEWPs?
By opting for a battery-powered cherry picker or scissor lift, you can perform work-at-height using MEWPs indoors or in greener areas where other machines might not be allowed on-site, due to their high emissions.
On top of that, you’ll also increase health and safety for your MEWP operators and workers as they won’t be exposed to diesel fumes. Plus, you’ll cut down site contamination by eliminating the risk of fuel leaks, which is ideal for food industry or supermarket work.
Electric MEWPs are also ideal for decreasing noise pollution, as they are significantly quieter compared to their fuel counterparts. This is extremely helpful if your work site is based near a residential area.
What Are Hybrid Access Platforms?
Hybrid access platforms are MEWPs which use both fuel and electric battery power. This allows you to reduce your carbon emissions by using traditional fuel only when necessary and switching to electric power the rest of the time.
What Are Wind-Up Access Platforms?
Wind-up access platforms are a type of push around platform, which lifts and lowers through the manual turning of a handle rather than through electric or fuel. This completely cuts back emissions and power use for incredible efficiency.
MEWPs of this type include the Pecolift and Ecolift, and they are best suited for indoor, even-terrain environments.
Sustainable Batteries for MEWPs
Another development within electric access platforms is new technology to improve the batteries’ sustainability.
The longer-lasting batteries are another highly effective way of reducing the carbon footprint of your work from height, as you won’t need to replace your batteries as frequently, resulting in fewer batteries needing to be made.
One way this is achieved is through battery regeneration technology, which reconditions and reverses damage on your batteries, reducing lead battery waste. Our guide to MEWP battery regeneration technology can help you to understand this further.
How is Horizon Platforms Becoming More Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly?
At Horizon Platforms, it’s not only our powered access machines that are constantly developing to become more eco-friendly. We are also consistently striving to be more sustainable as a company, so you can rest assured that efforts to increase sustainability have been taken at every point of your hire, not just with your MEWP.
After achieving an impressive EcoVadis silver rating for our environmental-friendliness as a company, we’re now taking the steps necessary to go for gold. We’ve added more solar panels to our depot, mostly paperless and invested in LED lighting. Also our delivery trucks comply with Euro 6 emissions standards and are changed every four to five years for the current most efficient choice. In addition, our drivers are encouraged to drive efficiently and our delivery planning software maps routes in a way to reduce mileage as much as possible.
Discover more about new MEWP technologies and developments through our Knowledge Centre, or contact us to learn more about MEWP hire with Horizon Platforms.