The 2024 Summer season Video games introduced a novel alternative for Le Golf Nationwide to cleared the path in golf course electrification, they usually put their confidence in Jacobsen™ to attain it.
The target was easy. Jacobsen had 18 months to construct on the success of their Eclipse 360 ELiTE ride-on greens mower and electrify a fleet that included fairway machines, SLF1 ELiTE, trim machines, TR1 ELiTE, tough machines, AR1 ELiTE, and strolling greens machines, Eclipse 2 ELiTE, all of which might stand up to a demanding two-week event reducing schedule.
Principle Put into Follow
When Le Golf Nationwide Golf Course Superintendent, Lucas Pierre, was introduced with the plan and timeframes by Jacobsen, his preliminary ideas had been, “To my standpoint, they’re loopy” however after a event with the SLF1 ELiTE and an all-hands trial in early Might 2024, Lucas knew the machines had been on observe.
“We’ve had the SLF1 ELiTE for the reason that French Open in September 2023, and from my standpoint, our mechanic’s and Jacobsen’s, the ability is great,” Lucas defined.
“The large deal was the size of the battery. We examined it in opposition to our SLF530 fairway mower, and the SLF1 ELiTE made the spherical with 60% of the battery left. We even pushed the check to not cost the mower throughout the evening and despatched it out the following day with 60%, and it was again to the workshop with 30% left.”
“The primary enchancment on this machine is the traction as a result of every thing is electrical, and entry is far simpler on this machine. There are hills in all places on this course, however while you’re going from one fairway to a different, and I’ve been on the machine, you’ll be able to go in all places, and also you don’t slip or get caught. Collectively, the battery and traction are wonderful.”
The stress on this undertaking was not solely to supply functioning machines, however a fleet that would present a high quality lower for a tournament-level course. By means of knowledge seize and operator suggestions, Le Golf Nationwide and Jacobsen have accelerated the institution of electrical ride-on mowers and proved their capabilities on the world stage.
Le Golf Nationwide’s Fourth Pillar
Alongside sport and improvement, sustainability is integral to the French Golf Federation (FGF) technique. Jacobsen’s ambition completely matches the FGF’s ecological mission assertion, and for Basile Lenoir, Authorized Director on the FGF, assembly sustainability targets is about turning obstacles into alternatives.
“Sustainability is among the Federation’s key pillars, together with improvement, sport and inexperienced transition,” Basile explains. “We’re a part of a transition course of and need to overcome and rework obstacles into alternatives. There’s no scarcity of obstacles at present, and we want the absolute best assist to get us by the following ten years and adapt to local weather change challenges.”
“Electrification of apparatus types our fourth pillar” he continues, “Water administration, biodiversity, and now vitality are our focal factors. Our vitality technique includes electrifying machines and striving for vitality neutrality at Le Golf Nationwide.”
Electrifying the Fleet in 18 Months
Jacobsen already had expertise with lithium electrical ride-on greens mowers, however the principle problem was effectively upscaling the bigger AR1 and TR1 ELiTE lithium machines whereas managing the load, price, and vary.
Expertise with Samsung SDI Lithium expertise gave Jacobsen’s International Product Supervisor, Lee Kristensen, and the engineering workforce a stable basis on which to construct.
“Le Golf Nationwide is an excessive check case, and we will do quite a bit with the information we get,” Lee defined. “Engaged on main event preparation at websites corresponding to Le Golf Nationwide is a superb studying case for Jacobsen as a result of it’s an enormous and sophisticated atmosphere with many machines working to their peak efficiency. We’re conscious that’s not the on a regular basis for many programs, however that studying case builds our expertise, and we will apply it as we transfer into extra common course upkeep.”
Tempo Expertise, an tools administration and geofencing system that could be a screenless web-based answer, helped observe knowledge for this improvement. Tempo might be accessed from any system and options real-time monitoring and job administration to maximise the effectiveness of operations. At Le Golf Nationwide, Tempo has been used to trace and measure the machines’ energy output per gap to maximise their efficiency whereas creating a bespoke image of how they work on the course.
Lee shared, “The entire communication knowledge on the digital machines goes again by the Tempo system to the engineering and improvement groups so we all know precisely how the machines are getting used, their actual responsibility cycle, and we will plan their subsequent jobs or how a lot charging they want accordingly, ensuring we’re making probably the most environment friendly use of the machines which might be on web site.”
Jacobsen is a number one producer of turf upkeep tools, providing a specialist vary of mowers. With a legacy of innovation spanning over a century, Jacobsen is trusted by turf administration professionals worldwide to ship superior efficiency, sturdiness, and effectivity. For extra data go to www.jacobsen.com
