Bethell & Think Hire: Delivering Low-Carbon Power for Critical Wastewater Upgrades in the North West

Date: 05/12/25

Bethell & Think Hire: Delivering Low-Carbon Power for Critical Wastewater Upgrades in the North West

Think Hire, a division of Think Energy Group, is proud to support Bethell in delivering major wastewater capital delivery projects in the North West. These schemes are designed to strengthen regional infrastructure, protect communities, and build resilience for the future.

These long-term programmes include:

• Construction of a new pumping station in Salford, requiring the sinking of two deep shafts and a 620m tunnel drive.
• Increasing the capacity of existing sewer systems in Cumbria through the upsizing of pipes and the construction of a new pumping station to reduce the risk of localised flooding.

These upgrades will help protect homes and businesses, ensuring a more robust and reliable wastewater network for decades to come.

Supporting the UK’s Net Zero Goals

As the UK continues its shift toward cleaner, more sustainable infrastructure, the utilities sector plays a critical role in this transition. Every upgrade to wastewater, water, and power networks must now balance reliability, resilience, and environmental impact.

Hybrid power and renewable energy technologies are becoming essential to this transformation.

By reducing generator reliance, cutting carbon emissions, and supporting cleaner project delivery, Think Hire helps organisations like Bethell align with:

• The UK’s Net Zero 2050 pathway
• Regulatory pressures for lower-carbon construction
• Customer and community expectations for greener infrastructure
• Water sector goals under AMP cycles and long-term asset management plans

Our collaboration with Bethell is proof that clean energy solutions can power even the most demanding civil engineering environments, safely, reliably, and sustainably.

The Think Hire Solution

To support Bethell in delivering these critical upgrades, Think Hire deployed hybrid energy solutions designed specifically for large-scale civil engineering operations.

1. Renewable Energy - Solartainer Versatile

We supplied a solar hybrid generator, Solartainer Versatile, providing reliable hybrid power that combines solar panels, battery storage, a backup generator and intelligent energy management. The Bethell branding completed the installation beautifully.

This unit immediately reduced reliance on diesel, cutting emissions and fuel consumption while providing stable power throughout the works. By harnessing renewable solar power, this system strengthens Bethell’s sustainable supply chain and supports their commitment to environmental responsibility across their operations and wider community.

2.  BESS Systems - SiteGrid X45 BESS

Think Hire deployed the SiteGrid X45 battery energy storage systems (BESS) to deliver clean, efficient off-grid power for Bethell’s works in Cumbria, where they are upgrading sewer infrastructure and constructing a new pumping station to boost network capacity and reduce localised flooding.

SiteGrid X45  supports periods of higher demand and ensures consistent, high-quality power delivery throughout the works. The X45’s integrated battery storage allowed Bethell to use clean energy efficiently, reducing the need for generator support and maintaining smooth site operations.

With intelligent load management and fast-response power delivery, the X45 helped stabilise the energy supply during critical construction phases, further lowering emissions and reducing overall fossil fuel dependency. This system added resilience to the site setup while strengthening Bethell’s efforts to deliver infrastructure improvements with minimal environmental impact.

3. Smart Energy Management with Think Energy Panorama

To complement the on-site hybrid energy systems, Bethell also benefited from Think Energy Panorama, our digital asset management platform, which completes our Energy-as-a-Service proposition. By bringing all power sources into a single, intuitive dashboard, the team could monitor performance in real time and make informed decisions throughout the project.

Panorama’s automated reporting and load-tracking tools highlighted opportunities to fine-tune energy use, cutting back on unnecessary generator hours and improving overall site coordination. With clearer insight into demand patterns and equipment behaviour, Bethell reduced avoidable callouts and enhanced day-to-day planning.

This data-led approach supported smoother operations in Bethell’s projects and delivered learnings that can be applied across Bethell’s wider portfolio, driving consistent efficiency gains and more sustainable practices company-wide.

Proven Carbon, Fuel, and Cost Reduction

By combining renewable generation, hybrid power technology, and data-driven load optimisation, Bethell achieved substantial reductions in fuel use, emissions, and operational spend across both projects. The results clearly demonstrate the measurable impact of cleaner, smarter power:

Salford Project

• 50% reduction in net cost: (including hire and fuel costs)
• Carbon emissions avoided: 97,454 kg
  Equivalent to removing more than 21 cars from the road for an entire year or preventing the CO₂ released from charging nearly 12 million smartphones.
• Overall carbon reduction: 89%
• Fuel saved: 36,637 litres
• Emissions reduction: 89% across CO, HC and PN
• Total energy delivered: 10,531 kWh
  Enough to power a typical UK home for over a year, or run 350 household refrigerators for the same period.
• Power source split: 89% Battery & Solar / 11% Generator

Cumbria Project

• 60% reduction in net cost: (including hire and fuel costs)
• Carbon emissions avoided: 55,800 kg
  Equivalent to the carbon absorbed by 2,300 mature trees in a year or avoiding the emissions from burning 25 tonnes of coal.
• Overall carbon reduction: 98%
• Fuel saved: 37,704 litres
• Emissions reduction: 95% across CO, HC and PN
• Total energy delivered: 9,094 kWh
  Enough to power 30 average UK homes for a month or keep 1,000 laptops running for a full year.
• Power source split: 91% Battery & Solar / 9% Generator

These figures highlight how advanced hybrid systems can deliver strong carbon savings while improving site efficiency and reducing operational costs.

Robust, Reliable Power for Critical Infrastructure Work
Throughout every stage of the project, our systems provided Bethell with dependable power tailored to the demands of critical infrastructure works. The hybrid setup maintained steady output during high-load activity, delivering the resilience needed to operate effectively in remote and demanding conditions.

By adopting an Energy-as-a-Service model, Bethell benefitted from fully managed, always-available power, without the burden of fuel handling, maintenance, or on-site troubleshooting. This meant the team could focus entirely on construction delivery while we ensured continuous, efficient performance behind the scenes.

By minimising downtime and streamlining on-site logistics, the solution supported the safe operation of essential equipment and kept construction progressing smoothly. This reliable, lower-impact power strategy enabled Bethell to stay productive while staying true to their environmental commitments—bringing efficiency and sustainability together across the project.

A Strong and Growing Partnership

The partnership between Bethell and Think Hire shows how effective collaboration between contractors and clean-energy specialists can turn ESG goals into real, measurable progress on major infrastructure projects.

Bethell’s commitment to developing creative, economical, and responsible sustainability solutions is clear, and our role is to support that ambition with the technology, insight, and expertise that help bring those values to life on site.

Through tailored hybrid energy systems, real-time performance data, and dependable off-grid power, we’re proud to contribute to the essential upgrades strengthening the wastewater network—while helping Bethell continue to operate with the high standards, innovation, and community focus that drive a more sustainable future for everyone.

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