The construction sector is currently undergoing a major transition, with electric equipment increasingly being used across a wide range of construction and maintenance projects. Since 2022, the use of electric machinery has grown significantly. Through the SEB covenant, public authorities are encouraged to explicitly include the use of electric equipment in infrastructure tenders.

However, progress in this transition is partly slowed by grid congestion. In several regions of the Netherlands, grid operators are cautious about granting heavier grid connections, while demand for high-capacity electric machinery continues to grow. This makes it necessary to use existing grid connections more efficiently, consistently, and in a scalable way for charging electric construction equipment.

During an ENI workshop, a gathering of frontrunners in emission-free construction, Connectr hosted a session aimed at identifying solutions for connecting (temporary) construction sites to the grid. In a group of twelve representatives from both clients and contractors, participants discussed practical experiences and bottlenecks.

The workshop made it clear that connecting construction projects to existing grid connections presents several challenges. There is still hesitation and uncertainty, caused in part by unclear business cases, complex regulations, and a lack of standardization. Multiple stakeholders are involved, including clients, contractors, grid operators, charging point operators, regulators, and nearby companies. Uncertainty in legal and organizational frameworks often leads to a wait-and-see attitude.

To overcome these barriers, several elements are essential:

• uniform contracts;
• clear legal and safety agreements;
• better insight into available connections and energy demand;
• technically scalable solutions;
• and the sharing of best practices.

Various initiatives are already underway, including municipal energy scans, platforms such as Stroomkaart.nl and the NAL charging map, results from Build Zero, integrated municipal charging strategies, and support schemes such as SPriLa and SPuLa within the SEB program. Innovative concepts—such as the smart use of AC and DC chargers, are also helping accelerate emission-free construction using existing connections.

During the workshop, participants were able to sign up for the project “Building on Existing Connections.” Based on the workshop outcomes, the project objectives will be defined and potential participants approached. The insights gathered will be further developed by Connectr into a detailed project plan.

Experts and interested parties who would like to contribute or participate are invited to get in touch via niek@connectr.nu or gijs@connectr.nu.