RBL installs low-carbon precast piles with electric rig

Roger Bullivant (RBL) has completed installation of driven precast concrete piles made with very low-carbon concrete at Statera Energy’s Thurrock Flexible Generation site, supporting foundations for a gas peaker facility and a 275 kV substation.

The works were delivered with the UK’s first fully battery-powered piling rig, the Junttan PMx2e, which reduced local emissions and noise and demonstrated a practical path to lower-carbon foundation delivery.

The latest phase follows an earlier RBL campaign on the same site where the driven precast solution was selected for speed, cleanliness, cost-effectiveness and minimal disruption to live operations.

Ground conditions included soft clay, dense sand and gravel, and chalk, requiring a robust, adaptable approach.

Working within a tight footprint alongside other subcontractors, RBL coordinated a controlled exclusion zone with Jones Bros Ltd to maintain safety and productivity.

“This installation is a clear example of how Roger Bullivant Limited is at the forefront of innovation in foundation engineering. By combining very low carbon precast concrete with electric rig technology, we’re not only reducing emissions but also setting new standards towards sustainable delivery in the infrastructure sector,” said Richard Taylor, operations director at RBL.

The deployment aligns with group sustainability targets of a 40% Scope 1 & 2 and 20% Scope 3 emissions reduction by 2030.