Tesco trials solar-powered refrigerated trailers

UK: Retailer Tesco is trialling solar-powered refrigerated trailers in a collaboration with Marshall Fleet Solutions.

The solar-powered trailers fitted with Marshall’s Titan system are now on the road and servicing Tesco distribution centres across the country. Titan uses power produced from lightweight, high powered solar panels and stores the electrical energy in long life lightweight lithium batteries to provide power to the refrigeration unit.

“We’ve got 4,200 trailers in our distribution fleet transporting fresh goods such as fruit, vegetables, ready meals and sandwiches,” said Tesco’s fleet engineering manager Cliff Smith. “Around 3,000 of those are refrigerated and with a goal to bring carbon emissions to net zero by 2035 and the imminent removal of red diesel entitlements, we’ve had to look at the way our food gets to stores and customers.

“As a business we have looked at various options and through our long-standing relationship with Marshall Fleet Solutions we decided to trial the use of the Titan system on our fleet. So far we are finding that there is no detriment to operational performance, 100% saving on diesel costs and a good ROI.

The Titan system’s independent and autonomous design is capable of providing 100% free power to all makes of on-board refrigeration unit, tail lifts and other vehicle mounted electrically powered applications on all vehicles sizes from LCVs, small trucks, to HCVs, both single temp and multi-temp. Available for both new vehicles as well as for retrofitting to existing vehicles, Titan has the ability to convert fleets to reach zero carbon goals overnight.

Titan is available in two variants: one comprising solar panels and a kinetic recovery unit to power a lightweight lithium battery, the other solar panel only to power a lightweight lithium battery.