United Rentals enhances fleet with tower crane battery systems

General contracting firm Award Construction, based in Alberta, Canada, pioneered the use of the United Rentals battery energy system to fully power an 8-ton, 70-meter-tall tower crane at Riverbank Landing, a 20-acre planned mixed-use community being built in Edmonton.

United Rentals has added battery energy systems for tower cranes to its North American rental fleet. Developed by Termaco in collaboration with United Rentals, this system provides clean, sustainable power that enables contractors to reduce fuel consumption and equipment-related downtime while achieving quieter, lower-emission jobsites, the company said.

Configurable up to 500 kW, the system operates alongside a generator to deliver power to support tower crane operations. It minimizes generator run time by storing energy in batteries and running on battery power whenever possible. For smaller applications, the battery unit can be powered by solar panels to create a completely emission-free solution. 

“Battery energy systems for tower cranes provide a great application of practical sustainability on the jobsite by helping contractors address their economic and environmental goals,” said Larry Worthington, region vice president, power and HVAC, United Rentals.