Company says its recent trial wiith Spanish logistics operator Carreras offers good chance to cut emissions
Refrigerated transport specialist Thermo King says it has successfully completed trials of a self-charging electric refrigeration system for trailers in partnership with Spanish logistics group Carreras.
According to the company, the refrigerated semi-trailer used in the test covered a distance of approximately 55,000km and operated entirely in electric mode while on the road.
Emissions from the truck and trailer were also reduced further – by 90 per cent in total – thanks to Carreras’ use of biofuel, it added.
The system, which used a Thermo King Advancer hybrid refrigeration unit, a dynamic energy recovery system called AxlePower, and a battery pack called Energ-e, is said to minimise the need for charging, reducing operating costs and direct carbon emissions.
“This project and collaboration with Thermo King and its dealer Frigicoll mark a significant stride for Carreras in embracing sustainable logistics,” said Héctor Benito Serón, director of projects, consulting, sustainability and innovation at Carreras. “This project brings us another step closer to our ultimate goal of a 50 per cent reduction in carbon footprint.”
Francisco Cambra Soriano, area sales manager at Thermo King, said the ability to harness and generate energy directly from the trailers’ movement made the technology a sustainable solution for various transport requirements.
“At a time when consumer demands increasingly prioritise sustainability, low or zero emission and resource-saving supply chains are becoming an important selling point,” he said.
