Leighton Contractors and e3k have worked together to release a new method for benchmarking the energy efficiency of material transportation.
The Leighton Energy Efficiency Equations (Le3 method) was developed after Leighton felt it needed a reliable measurement system that could be applied equally across all operations where the nature of the work undertaken would frequently vary, Leighton General Manager Plant Steve McDonald said.
“When we looked for such a system, it was clear that no one had developed anything that could take into account the variation that we frequently encounter, particularly in our contract mining operations,” he said.
According to Leighton, the research and development of the Le3 method allowed them to take live data from vehicles and manipulate it by computer to provide a comparison with best-practice benchmark efficiency parameters for a particular fleet.
The output information is then able to be analysed to give regular guidance on the status of the constantly changing energy efficiency of fleets, vehicle types, haul routes, individual vehicles and drivers, the company said.
Director and president of e3k Duncan Gilmore said that the Le3 method can apply to multiple areas of mining and construction.
“This principle can be applied to construction, tunnelling, materials handling, pipelines, treatment, freight, and shipping,” he said.
Gilmore believes it is important for companies aiming to improve their energy efficiency to have a method for knowing how well they are doing compared to what is realistically possible.
• Leighton
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