Tag Archive for: IF

If you want something done well, do it yourself!

If you want something done well, do it yourself!: Scott MacCallum travelled to Northern Finland to find out more about Avant and their brand new battery technology.

Where better to develop new batteries than one of the northern-most locations on the planet? Avant are based in Tampare, Finland, 100 miles north of Helsinki, and a place which is renowned for being a bit chilly.

If you want something done well, do it yourself!

If you want something done well, do it yourself!

It is therefore perfectly suited to testing the extremes of new battery technology and, having developed a battery which can cope in such conditions, Avant has recently opened a new battery factory to product the power units to operate their sophisticated range of electric loaders.

“Following a lot of development we believe we have produced the perfect solution for our type of machine. Of course it is not the perfect solution for any kind of moving machine, but we don’t have a huge circumference to cover, compared to cars which need a huge infrastructure of for recharging points,” Avant CEO, Jani Käkelä, explained to Turf Matters.

“For us the electric vehicle are very viable as a solution of a way to create a machine with zero emissions. We don’t need a huge battery so the cost of the machine is still reasonable and then also the charging infrastructure doesn’t need to be too big. Overall the size of the machine has not altered from that of the diesel machine.

The Avant HQ, even taking away the stunning Nordic scenery, is impressive with the new battery factory fitting seamlessly into the overall plant, and it is the ability to produce their own batteries which is seen as a gateway to taking the company onto the next level.

The new OptiTemp battery packs feature a globally unique immersion lithium-ion technology offering Avant users several benefits.

The 4-module 27 kwh OptiTemp battery gives an electric Avant e5 loader twice the capacity of other loaders in its size class. With a 4-module battery it is possible to work the whole day with one single charge.

A globally unique thermal management system keeps the temperature optimised and gives you the same capacity in hot and freezing weather.

If you want something done well, do it yourself!

If you want something done well, do it yourself!

Rapid charging. Thanks to the structure of the battery, you can charge your battery in just one and a half hours with a rapid charger, which enables long workdays.

Unique solutions for safety – the structure and the immersion cooling system of the battery – guarantee 100% safe batteries. Avant has been producing compact loaders and attachments for over 30 years and they have risen to become the global market leader in their field.

But it was having worked with electric loaders and batteries for a number of years that the began to realise that there was no battery pack available to fulfil the needs of their loaders.

Since the battery factory – Avant Power, a subsidiary of Avant Tecno – was opened a few months ago he batteries now produced are truly fit for purpose – and fully capable of dealing with Finland’s extreme temperatures, but also in hotter temperatures in other parts of the world.

The new Avant e513 and Avant e527 loaders are almost identical, the only difference being the capacity of the batteries. The Avant e513 (13 kWh) is a good choice for short-term continuous use on cattle farms, horse stables, greenhouses or DIY and leisure time, for example.

The Avant e527 loader (27 kWh) with a larger battery is ideal for demanding professional use. Construction and demolition contractors will benefit from this model.

“For years, the market has been longing for fully electric loaders that would be more like diesel loaders in terms of functionality.

Until now, operating time and pricing have been key issues related to electric loaders, but with Avant’s new e series, we solve them both”, explained Jani.

If you mowed in May – that’s ok

If you mowed in May – that’s ok: If you didn’t follow the no-mow May advice don’t be alarmed.  One of Britain’s foremost lawn experts confirms that regular mowing is good for both the lawn and the environment. 

Richard Salmon (photographed below), the founder of ProLawnCareUK, is adamant that simply adjusting the mower and using it more frequently is good for both nature and the grass.

If you mowed in May - that's ok

If you mowed in May – that’s ok

“We have 20 million plus domestic lawns in the UK.  The vast majority are in inner city and urban areas where they are a vital green lung.   Anything we can do to keep them healthy is good for nature and humans, and regular mowing is key to this,” says Richard.

“I have no idea how many people continued to mow in May but they were doing no harm at all to the environment and really benefitting their lawns,” he added.

“Some wildlife feeding on lawns eat insects or seed, others prefer worms and other invertebrates.   Regular mowing will still allow clover and other flowering weeds to prosper but leave the grass longer and don’t scalp it.  Weekly mowing encourages the grass to tiller or thicken out.  This produces a greater green leaf area per m2 which, in turn, absorbs more Co2 during photosynthesis, keeping lawns green and releasing more oxygen to atmosphere.  The more dense the lawn the better for all food sources.”

“Not cutting the grass and simply leaving it to nature is not good for lawns or wildlife.  Leaving it is of value only to seed eating birds, although it takes several months of growth for the seeds to mature and, in any case, seed can be supplemented at the bird table.  As the uncut grass grows it discolours, significantly reducing photosynthesis which, in turn, results in less oxygen being produced.”

Richard promotes more regular cutting but not too short.  He also supports, where possible, instead of not mowing your lawn, why not dedicate an area for wildlife that benefits the insects and wildlife for 12 months of the year rather than a vain effort for 1 month ? Try leaving a small area of the garden to sow a wild flower mix which is bee friendly and can be left all year to provide a more valuable haven for a greater variety of fauna.

Richard Salmon has spent his entire career involved in lawncare and is one of the country’s leading authorities on the subject.  He is also a leading expert on the environmental value of grassland and is on record as confirming that: “Lawns lock-in carbon from the atmosphere, much like trees, and play a vital role in cleaning and cooling our environment.”

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New sustainable project at Brondby IF

New sustainable project at Brondby IF: Brondby IF’s stadium is the first in the world with a 100% sustainable and economical solution in the form of 100 m2 sun mirrors that add the missing sunlight to the grass.

Brondby IF and Second Sun have in recent years collaborated to establish this solution, and now several clubs in Denmark, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom and Australia are also joining the fray to become part of this green future.

New sustainable project at Brondby IF

New sustainable project at Brondby IF

The team, who is responsible for the grass on the field on a daily basis and won the “best pitch in Denmark 2021 and 2022”, is also pleased with the new solution. Chris Hague, head groundsman at Brondby IF: “There are parts of the southern half of the course that need more light than the natural daylight it receives today. Nothing is better for growing grass than sunlight. Second Sun contributes sunlight to the half of the field that is missing, and is part of the solution that solves the problem.”

Ole Palmå, CEO of Brondby IF, says: “Innovation and new technology are part of Brondby IF both on and off the field. With the installation of Second Sun’s solar reflector system at our stadium, we can beat several flies with one swipe: Support a skilled technological entrepreneurial company, act sustainably and also through the system achieve a saving on the artificial lighting on the pitch.”

Great international focus

Second Sun is an entrepreneurial company in Copenhagen with CEO Nicolai Moustgaard at the helm, and he is happy with the collaboration with Brondby IF.

He says: “We are very pleased with the collaboration with Brondby IF, which has welcomed our ideas and innovative solutions. We have thoroughly tested the system and the results show that the reflection of the sunlight from our mirrors actually benefits the growth of the grass. We have now expanded with 100 m2 solar reflectors set up on the north stand. The set-up here has resonated in the football world, and we have received several inquiries from other stadiums in Europe and as far away as Australia.”

Media video of the system

https://vimeo.com/605470378 (Danish National Broadcasting feature)

For further information, contact CEO Nicolai Moustgaard on +45 5360 3638 nm@secondsun.dk or press adviser, Susanne Louw on +45 3150 9031 sl@secondsun.dk

Visit our website: https://www.secondsun.dk/

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