Power & HVAC Mechanic

United Rentals expands hybrid power solutions for Australian worksites. 23/10/2026 United Rentals is expanding its hybrid power solutions in Australia, adding to its range of battery storage, hybrid generators and solar platforms as businesses look to reduce fuel consumption, operating costs and emissions. The equipment hire company's offering includes hybrid battery-diesel generators, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and portable 20ft solar platforms designed to work together to power site offices, portable buildings and industrial equipment. "With ongoing fuel price challenges and the need to meet sustainability targets, businesses are looking for smarter ways to run sites without compromising reliability," United Rentals director of mobile storage Keith Simpson says. The BESS units store electricity from the grid, solar panels or generators for use when required. When paired with a generator, the system can automatically manage the power supply to reduce generator runtime and fuel consumption. Keith says the systems could help contractors lower operating costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and onsite noise. Compared with a diesel-only generator, combining a hybrid generator with a BESS unit can reduce fuel consumption by up to 80%, emissions by up to 50% and onsite noise by up to 90%, according to figures supplied by United Rentals. Actual results will depend on site conditions, load and usage. The company's portable solar platforms, also known as solar skids, can deliver up to 2.5kW of power each and integrate with BESS and hybrid generator systems. Up to eight skids can be connected to a BESS unit, providing a combined solar capacity of up to 20kW. The hybrid power system supplied multiple site facilities, including offices, lunchrooms and amenities, with peak power demand reaching 400kW per day. The arrangement was later expanded to supply two additional site compounds. Over 10 months, diesel generator runtime fell from 9,096 hours to 1,523 hours, saving approximately $210,000 in fuel costs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 159,894kg. Reduced generator runtime also lowered maintenance requirements, with scheduled services falling from 19 to three over the period. "As well as cost savings, harnessing renewable energy with solar-powered systems and hybrid technology also helps companies to accelerate project timelines by enabling rapid deployment with no need for power or water connections," Keith says. United Rentals expects demand for hybrid power systems to grow across infrastructure, construction, telecommunications and solar farm projects as businesses work towards emissions reduction and environmental, social and governance targets. "From major infrastructure projects to regionally focused construction like telecommunications and solar farms, more and more companies are adopting a renewable energy ethos," Keith adds. "Meeting ESG and compliance targets is key for businesses, and ensuring these goals align with government mandates and investor expectations is essential." * ADVERTISEMENT * ADVERTISEMENT

United Rentals brought a construction site into the classroom. Here's what the program actually looked like. United Rentals worked with Strivr to build a VR training program using 360-degree video captured at a real construction site, letting classes of 20 to 25 trainees "visit" a job site without leaving the training room, in a format built for outside sales reps that blends safety awareness with sales technique. Taking a group of trainees to a live construction site sounds ideal, but it is rarely practical. As United Rentals' Training and Development Manager Bill Dwyer put it, he would like to take a group of 20 to 25 trainees to a construction site to get a feel for the environment, but it is "just not feasible." Instead, the company built an immersive program with Strivr that simulates the real-world experience of being on an active construction site. Learners put on a headset and find themselves inside a dynamic site captured through 360-degree video of a real location, where they can look around and see unfinished buildings, large machinery, workers, and dozens of hazards. The program was designed for outside sales representatives and covers both safety and sales techniques, delivered in five modules of 20 minutes each, 100 minutes in total. The design choice worth noticing is that VR was added to the classroom rather than used to replace it. The company values the conversations and interactions that happen in classroom training, so the headset experience sits inside the session and lets the wider group learn alongside the person wearing it. A separate account of the program reported that the approach cut time spent on training by 40%. For any business with field-facing staff who need to recognize hazards before they ever step onto a real site, the takeaway is practical: live-action 360 capture of a real location is a faster, lower-cost route into VR training than building a full 3D simulation, and it keeps the realism of an actual job site intact. It also shows that VR works best when it supports a good trainer and a good discussion instead of trying to remove them.

United Rentals reported strong second-quarter 2026 results, with total revenues rising 12% year over year to $4.4 billion and adjusted EPS increasing 22% to $12.76. The company raised its 2026 outlook, now expecting total revenues between $17.5 billion and $17.8 billion. Demand remains robust across nonresidential construction, infrastructure, power markets and data centres. Specialty rental revenues jumped 24.8% to $1.43 billion in the quarter. The company increased its gross rental capital expenditure guidance to $4.85-$5.25 billion to meet high utilisation rates, whilst maintaining free cash flow guidance of $2.15-$2.45 billion. United Rentals targets $1.5 billion in share repurchases for 2026, having already returned $998 million to shareholders in the first half.