WEST BANK: Palestinian stonemason invents electrically-powered digger to combat rising fuel costs

Record ID: 561732

  • Title: WEST BANK: Palestinian stonemason invents electrically-powered digger to combat rising fuel costs
  • Date: 8th August 2008
  • Summary: (MER-1) YATTA VILLAGE, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF QUARRY EXCAVATOR POWERED BY ELECTRICITY CLOSE OF ELECTRIC CABLE BETWEEN EXCAVATOR AND ELECTRICITY MAIN CABLES/ MAN CARRYING CABLE VARIOUS OF EXCAVATOR DIGGING MAN STANDING NEAR DIGGING SITE EXCAVATOR MOVING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HASAN ABU KUBITA, QUARRY OWNER, SAYING: "Because of the increase in petrol prices we couldn't cover the expenses of our work. Not just me, we all have similar problems. Around 80 percent have gone out of work (because of high fuel prices). I'm the only one in the area still in business. But if I were still using diesel instead of electricity, I would have stopped working too." CLOSE OF ELECTRICITY BOX GENERATOR USED TO POWER EXCAVATOR ABU KUBITA OPENING ELECTRICITY BOX IN DIGGER ABU KUBITA'S HAND SWITCHING ON ELECTRICITY MAN OPERATING EXCAVATOR CLOSE OF EXCAVATOR OPERATOR KHALED HASAN CLOSE OF HASAN'S HAND OPERATING GEAR CLOSE OF ENGINE'S REV MONITOR CLOSE OF HASAN'S HAND TURNING KNOB (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHALED HASAN, EXCAVATOR OPERATOR, SAYING: "In the beginning I was scared but the driver is well-insulated from the electricity. The chair is made of caoutchouc, the cabin is made of caoutchouc and all the main parts of the truck are covered in caoutchouc." ABU KUBITA STARTING IGNITION VARIOUS OF ABU KUBITA DRIVING EXCAVATOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HASAN ABU KUBITA, QUARRY OWNER, SAYING: "Costs have gone down, even with the nature of our work. For example, something we used to sell for a 100 dollars we can now sell for 50 dollars, because costs are lower so you can sell at a cheaper price. This leads to more work and activity in the market. The labourers can keep their jobs. My work persists, and so does theirs. If I had stayed on diesel, I would have stopped working like the others." VARIOUS OF EXCAVATOR AT WORK IN QUARRY
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVACAJ7EAH15CE2TKNA0Y4U55383
  • Story Text: As the developing world continues to battle with rising global fuel prices, a Palestinian quarry owner from the West Bank village of Yatta has found an ingenious way to stay in business.
    36-year-old Hassan Abu Kubita says all the other quarries in town have shut shop because of rising costs and a decline in sales, but he can afford to keep his stone-cutting business afloat by using electricity instead of petrol to power his heavy machinery.

    "Around 80 percent have gone out of work (because of high fuel prices). I'm the only one in the area still in business. But if I were still using diesel instead of electricity, I would have stopped working too,"
    Abu Kubita said.
    With the engine patched into the neighbourhood electricity circuit, Abu Kubita's excavator, drills, and other equipment continue to grind away oblivious to fluctuations in the energy market. He even says his quarry is now more environmentally friendly because it doesn't burn fuel.
    Operator Khaled Hassan says he was frightened when he first saw Abu Kubita's invention but has since got used to the idea.

    "In the beginning I was scared but the driver is well-insulated from the electricity. The chair is made of caoutchouc, the cabin is made of caoutchouc and all the main parts of the truck are covered in caoutchouc," Hassan said.
    Overall costs have gone down as well, making Abu Kabita's prices extremely competitive.

    "Costs have gone down, even with the nature of our work. For example, something we used to sell for a 100 dollars we can now sell for 50 dollars, because costs are lower so you can sell at a cheaper price. This leads to more work and activity in the market. The labourers can keep their jobs. My work persists, and so does theirs. If I had stayed on diesel, I would have stopped working like the others," Abu Kubita told Reuters.
    A lack of fuel at affordable prices has had a wide-ranging effect in the Palestinian territories and has also pushed up the price of many basic necessities such as food.
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