This was the starting point for the gathering, when representatives from the European Commission, journalists and financial players recently visited Lund to gain insight into the Interreg-axe Clean Construction Machinery (Cleancon) project.
During the visit, the participants saw electric construction machines in real operation and heard how municipalities and companies are working purposefully to adopt both electric and hydrogen-powered solutions on construction sites.
“What makes Cleancon unique is that we test emission-free solutions in actual projects and collaborate across the entire value chain,” says lead project manager Sara Skärhem, at RISE.
She points out that close interaction must be established between builders, contractors, machine manufacturers and municipalities. It is crucial to success.
“When players across the value chain work together in this way, we can both solve practical obstacles and influence regulations and procurement processes,” she says.
Cleancon brings together players from Sweden, Norway and Denmark, demonstrating that the green transition in the construction sector is already well underway. By covering the entire value chain for the contract — from planning and procurement, through machinery and infrastructure, to measurement and follow-up — the project has helped to solve specific challenges, influence framework conditions and create valuable knowledge exchange across borders.
The machines are there and the infrastructure is available. Now it's about asking for solutions and applying them. The strength lies in bringing together a consortium that covers the entire value chain in three countries — and that is also very inspiring,” says Skärhem.
