Great news has been announced in the world of refrigeration as solar powered refrigeration trucks will now be introduced and will cut pollution levels from idling diesel engines.

A provider of solar and battery power systems is set to kit out refrigeration trucks with solar panelled roofs that will keep 1,000 trailers full of food cool whilst also reducing emission levels massively.

Currently, transporting cold food to supermarkets is done using diesel fuel which maintains the cool temperature and therefore keeps the food fresh; however, idling diesel engines go through about a gallon of fuel every hour whilst releasing over 22 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In a bid to reduce the emissions, XL Fleet will supply the battery and power electronics systems for the first 1,000 units of eNow’s new electrified refrigerated trailer solutions. XL Fleet has set itself the mission of helping corporations lower their operating costs as well as working towards green goals.

eNow’s systems work by capturing energy from the sun with roof mounted solar modules, they then store this energy in auxiliary batteries used to power lift gates, in-cab air conditioning, refrigeration and lighting.

Presently, there are around 50,000 new diesel-powered refrigerated trailers sold each year in the US, and XL Fleet and eNow’s partnership will now accelerate a sustainable all electric solution, helping the planet move towards a greener future. The system developed so far will allow for approximately 12 hours of run time before requiring charging.

This is great news for the industry as well as the planet. Refrigeration trucks are such a huge and important part of logistics, and this partnership will allow for food to be kept fresh during transportation whilst significantly reducing emission levels.