News and Projects

From machinery and energy supply to construction site logistics and equipment: FRIEDRICH VORWERK has done pioneering work with its long-standing partners Gasunie Deutschland and Liebherr, demonstrating with its first low-emission construction site in Buchholz that climate-friendly pipeline construction can already be a reality today.

The energy transition is one of the biggest infrastructure projects of our time. It requires not only the restructuring of entire energy systems, but also profound changes in the construction industry. The sector is under particular pressure: emissions from machinery and construction site operations must be drastically reduced, Scope 1 to Scope 3 requirements set clear targets, while at the same time tight schedules, rising costs and immature technologies make implementation difficult. It is therefore clear that sustainability in construction must not remain a topic for the future, but must be put into practice today – especially in pipeline construction, where the use of heavy machinery has so far been inextricably linked to high emissions.

FRIEDRICH VORWERK has taken on this challenge with its long-standing partners Gasunie Deutschland and Liebherr, and with its first low-emission construction site, it is demonstrating that climate-friendly (pipeline) construction can already be a reality today.

The FRIEDRICH VORWERK Group has been one of the leading service providers for energy infrastructure in Germany and Europe for decades. With around 2,100 employees, it covers the entire spectrum from planning and pipeline and plant construction to network services. Today, the company is playing a key role in the transformation of existing gas networks to hydrogen, thereby making a decisive contribution to the success of the energy transition.

Technical implementation as part of the Hyperlink project
With its Hyperlink project, Gasunie is providing important impetus for a successful hydrogen ramp-up in Lower Saxony. "The low-emission construction site in Buchholz in the Nordheide region shows how important sustainability is for us as a strategic gas network operator. Low emissions on the way to an emission-free hydrogen infrastructure – for us, this is an innovative and ultimately logical step that we are taking here together with our partners," says Britta van Boven, Managing Director of Gasunie Deutschland. As part of Hyperlink, a hydrogen network of around 1,000 km in length is to be created in northern Germany by 2032, connecting the hydrogen markets of Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands. Around 70% of these pipelines consist of converted natural gas pipelines, which means that existing infrastructure can continue to be used efficiently. The first sections will be connected to the grid as early as 2027, before industry and regional consumers are fully connected in the final stage of expansion.

With the pilot construction site, FRIEDRICH VORWERK is not only making a direct contribution to the expansion of the network, but also doing valuable pioneering work in low-emission construction. As part of the project, two transport pipelines in the Buchholz area were exposed using civil engineering techniques and prepared for pipe construction work. In order to ensure a permanent and continuous gas supply to the local Buchholz municipal utilities during the construction work, the existing pipeline had to be drilled under pressure and connected to the gas network with a temporary pipeline. Once the work was complete, the supply was switched to the branch pipeline with outlet pipeline, while the temporary connections were dismantled and the main pipeline was disconnected from the system using a DN 450 adapter. The work was technically demanding and did not allow for any machine failures.

Energy concept: hydrogen meets battery storage
At the heart of the construction site is one of the first hydrogen-powered electricity generators from e-power, which in this case was fed with green hydrogen from bundles. Together with the battery-based LPO 100 energy storage system from Liebherr, it forms a completely off-grid energy system when properly programmed and adjusted. The SunPlate PV system was installed on the construction site containers for the first time and set up so that solar energy primarily covers the containers' electricity needs, with any surplus energy being fed into the energy storage system. This makes it possible to operate such a construction site consistently emission-free.

As part of the pilot construction site, FRIEDRICH VORWERK is relying on an innovative combination of battery-powered machines, hydrogen technology and intelligent energy management to make pipeline construction low-emission and sustainable.

Battery-powered construction machines from Liebherr – the L 507 E wheel loader and the A 916 E mobile excavator – were used for the construction work. As the first electrified wheel loader, the L 507 E combines the proven advantages of a conventional stereo loader with a battery-powered drive concept developed by Liebherr. Its performance is equivalent to that of conventionally powered wheel loaders in the same size class. The wheel loader operates with zero local emissions and impresses with its low noise emissions. Depending on the on-board charging technology and available connected load, a full charge takes around one and a half to three hours. Another highlight is the LH A916 E, a fully electric mobile excavator that was unveiled at BAUMA. In terms of performance, lifting capacity and power, this mobile excavator is in no way inferior to a conventional Liebherr standard mobile excavator with a diesel drive. The A 916 E is a popular all-rounder that can be used for both classic earthmoving work and in confined conditions, such as in inner-city areas. A 260 kWh battery unit ensures powerful performance.

Due to a high-voltage power line running directly above the construction site, some ingenuity was required for the pipe and welding work on site. An electrohydraulic welding crawler with a crane, developed in collaboration with Bergmann, was used for this purpose. This type of equipment is normally used in pipeline construction. Based on a Bergmann machine, another LPO 100 energy storage unit was upgraded in-house to supply power to both the crawler and the welding equipment. This solution enables emission-free welding work and thus contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions on the construction site. In addition, the Atlas crane installed on the crawler, with its enormous reach and load capacity, was able to take over the lifting work and avoid the danger zone of the high-voltage line.

The machinery is supplemented by various battery-powered civil engineering equipment and tools that cover the entire process chain – from earthworks to weld seams – with low emissions. The concept of electromobility runs through the entire project: the vehicle fleet is also completely electric. An electrically powered transporter ensures the emission-free transport of materials and personnel on the construction site. In addition, an electrically powered compressor and an electric pump are used for water management, which also contribute to reducing emissions.

Challenges and solutions
The integration of new technologies is rarely without difficulties. For example, it turned out that the hydrogen generator and the energy storage system were not initially fully compatible. Some adjustments were necessary to connect the systems reliably. This effort paid off: when construction began, the energy supply was stable and practical, so that the work could be carried out without restrictions.

Torben Kleinfeldt, CEO of FRIEDRICH VORWERK SE: "The energy transition is not only decided in concept papers, but on construction sites. To make sustainable infrastructure a reality, we need clear political framework conditions, planning security and the support of innovative technologies. For us, sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a concrete responsibility. With our first low-emission construction site, we are demonstrating that even technically demanding pipeline construction projects can be implemented safely and reliably using modern, low-emission technology. For FRIEDRICH VORWERK, this is an important step towards aligning construction practice with the requirements of the energy transition – and at the same time a signal to the entire industry."

Sustainability on the construction site
The low-emission construction site impressively demonstrates the potential of combining electric drive technology, intelligent energy management and alternative supply concepts. Through the consistent use of electrically powered machines, tools and vehicles, greenhouse gas emissions have been significantly reduced compared to conventional construction site operations. Simply doing away with diesel-powered mobile excavators and wheel loaders reduces direct CO₂ emissions by several tonnes per month. In addition, there is a noticeable reduction in noise levels on the construction site – an aspect that is particularly relevant in pipeline construction near residential areas.

The project also highlights the importance of a stable, locally generated energy supply for low-emission construction site operations. If sufficient green electricity from photovoltaic systems were permanently available on such a construction site, all auxiliary units, pumps and compressors could be operated entirely without fossil fuels. Surpluses could be temporarily stored in energy storage systems, ensuring a continuous and grid-independent supply.

In addition to large-scale implementation, numerous energy-saving measures can already be implemented directly on the construction site today. For example, photovoltaic systems can be installed on office and material containers to cover the basic electricity supply for the construction site infrastructure. Other measures include the use of LED lighting, time-controlled construction site lighting only when needed, electric pumps and compressors instead of diesel generators, and intelligent charging and storage strategies for machine and tool batteries. Such measures require little additional effort, can be implemented immediately and lead to measurable savings in both energy consumption and emissions.

The project thus demonstrates that sustainable pipeline construction does not begin with individual machines, but rather with the interaction of energy supply, storage, construction site equipment and organisational processes.

Visit by the Minister for the Environment
The state of Lower Saxony has an important role to play in the ramp-up of hydrogen. This was also emphasised by Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment and Energy, Christian Meyer. During his visit to the pilot construction site, he gained an insight into the technologies used. He was able to see the practical implementation of low-emission construction methods and the innovative use of hydrogen and battery technology directly on site. His visit underlines the signal effect of the project for the industry and emphasises how important close cooperation between business and politics is in order to successfully advance the energy transition and sustainable pipeline construction.

Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony's Minister for the Environment and Energy: "The conversion of the fossil gas network to as much green hydrogen from renewable energies as possible is in itself a quantum leap in climate protection. Now, to also operate a climate-friendly construction site with renewable energies, hydrogen and modern electric construction vehicles as well as PV-powered site containers is ingenious and shows what companies can achieve when they are given the opportunity."

Conclusion: A signal effect for pipeline construction
With its first low-emission construction site, FRIEDRICH VORWERK is proving that even technically complex pipeline construction projects can be carried out in a climate-friendly manner. The company combines traditional expertise in pipeline construction with state-of-the-art hydrogen and battery technology, thereby providing valuable insights for future construction projects. The consistent implementation of electrical and hydrogen technologies, supplemented by simple energy-saving measures, shows that sustainable pipeline construction is already feasible today. At the same time, the pilot construction site sends a signal to the entire industry: with innovative concepts, coordinated energy supply and practical integration of modern technologies, emissions can be significantly reduced and pipeline construction made sustainable.

(October 2025)