Tugwell Contracting: Powering Solar Farms with AFT Trenchers

In the endeavour to achieve net 0 emissions by 2050, the UK Government has recently approved the construction of three new solar farms in the Midlands. At least 400,000 homes could be powered by the installations.

Solar park constructors are rolling up their sleeves, there’s work to get done. This will involve a lot of cabling and thus…a lot of trenching too.

Tugwell Contracting, an AFT customer since its creation, is hired by energy companies to deliver a wide range of solar park construction services, including fencing, road construction, drainage and of course trenching & duct laying.

Tugwell is also in touch with farmers who are generally happy to convert poor ground into a stable source of income as they can rent their land to energy companies intending to install solar panels.

Why Is Trenching Required?

Burying electric cables is a requirement from energy companies and primarily a matter of safety. It reduces the risk of accidental contact with live wires, improving safety for both humans and animals.

Trenching Right, Trenching Fast

We spoke to Tony Elliot from Tugwell Contractors. He told us about why the AFT100 trencher is the perfect machine for the job:

• Precision trenching: A solar farm is a maze of cables and pipes (CCTV, drains, etc.). For example, land drains are generally placed 800 mm below the ground while electric cables are placed 600 mm below. It’s therefore essential to have a machine that can dig narrow trenches and allow for precise width and depth calibration.
• Clean trench: For optimal cable placement, you need smooth edges and regular width and depth.
• Low diesel input: The AFT100 comes as an attachment for a tractor. Such a combo tractor + trencher consumes far less fuel per hour than an excavator.
• Backfill: No need to purchase additional backfill to top up the trench after laying the cables. Unlike an excavator bucket that removes the soil in lumps, a trencher chops it up into fine materials that can be easily used as backfill.
• Faster than an excavator: With a digging bucket, you would need at least a day to dig 300 metres. With his AFT100 trencher, Tony can dig the 300 metres in an hour.

Tugwell Contracting trenching in a solar farm close to Nottingham

Interested in acquiring a trencher? You can request information directly on the homepage of our website.