Creating sustainable infrastructure
and safe transport through innovation
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Case Study
Composite FireStrong utility poles mitigating wildfire disasters
In response to wild fires in California, which will become increasingly more likely as global temperatures increase, Creative Composites Group have developed a technology that protects the Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer (FRP) poles used to carry electricity, from fire damage.
A unique, patented feature allows the utility companies to determine what the condition of the pole is after a fire event, thereby keeping the pole in use longer and reducing cost and disruption.
Standard FRP is often used as a sustainable alternative material for utility poles. While these offer some degree of inherent fire-retardant properties that protect the pole from fire damage, fire-retardant engineered composite FireStrong™ utility poles incorporate a fire-resistant sleeve which shields the base FRP pole from the excessive heat generated by typical brush and grass fires.
FRP utility poles are sustainably engineered to last up to and exceed 80 years in some of the harshest environments with little to no maintenance. Adding FireStrong™ further increasesgrid reliability in fire-prone areas. A temperature monitoring system is included within the FireStrong™ poles and this is engineered to continuously monitor the temperature experienced from wild fires, which can reach up to 2,100˚F. The pole is shielded from these extreme temperatures and will record whether there has been any permanent loss of strength.
The key benefit of increased durability and longevity is cost savings. When a fire occurs, utility poles protected by FRP pole covers will be less likely to experience a permanent loss of strength. As a result, they will not need to be removed and replaced, meaning utility companies will not need to invest time and money into performing these operations, and end-users will not need to suffer through a grid failure.
"Fire-retardant engineered composite FireStrong™ poles incorporate a fire resistant sleeve which shields the base FRP pole from the excessive heat generated by typical bush and grass fires."
Fire-retardant engineered composite FireSleeves incorporate a fire resistant sleeve which shields the base FRP pole from the excessive heat generated by typical brush and grass fires.”
Case Study
Prolectric ProPower delivers significant reduction in diesel usage and CO2e emissions.
By deploying Prolectric’s ProPower solar hybrid generator at the A63 Improvement Scheme, Balfour Beatty achieved huge environmental savings, including a 2,527 litre reduction in diesel usage, and a 7,000kg reduction in CO2 output.
Prolectric’s client, Balfour Beatty, was awarded a £75 million contract as part of a £355 million National Highways major improvement scheme in Hull.
Balfour Beatty deployed the industry’s first electric mini excavators as a trial to reduce noise and emissions from equipment on site. However, the excavators needed to be charged each day, and with no mains power on site, this was a challenge. Previously a diesel generator would have run 24/7 to provide on-site power, but this would eliminate the environmental benefits of deploying electric equipment.
So, Prolectric’s ProPower was deployed – a market leading solar/hybrid generator that reduces fuel usage, emissions, overnight noise and maintenance requirements. The ProPower packs the latest solar and battery storage technology into a compact trailer, making it powerful, clean, and easy to deploy.
The project demonstrates how solar power and battery storage technology can help deliver cleaner, more sustainable worksites by reducing the amount of fuel used on major projects.
A market leading solar/hybrid generator that reduces fuel usage, emissions, overnight noise and maintenance requirements.”