Hultsteins connects to solar power firm Trailar

SWEDEN/UK: Swedish transport refrigeration manufacturer Hultsteins has teamed up with Trailar, a UK developer of transport solar power systems, to provide operators with savings on fuel, maintenance and emissions.

Hultsteins’ hydraulic-drive fridge systems draw a small amount of energy from the truck via an engine-mounted power take-off unit. While Hultsteins claims its systems achieve diesel savings of around 80 to 90%, in comparison to a diesel TRU, the addition of Trailar’s solar system reduces this still further. 

According to Hultsteins, a typical Trailar system for a rigid vehicle saves around 600 litres a year in the UK, while a Hultsteins fridge only requires an average of 250-300 litres running 1500 hours per year, during road-use. The combination of a Hultsteins fridge connected to a solar system, dramatically reduces annual diesel usage, cuts running costs by a significant margin and reduces emission pollution.

Operators can also take advantage of Trailar’s powerful telematics data capabilities. Customers will access this data using the Trailar Insights web-platform, where they will be able to see asset utilisation, live and historic GPS tracking, battery health reporting, tail-lift counts plus fuel and CO2 saving figures.

Another benefit of utilising Cloud technology is that it allows Trailar to provide over-the-air updates to the system, minimising the need for any physical servicing. Battery health reporting is also detailed enough to enable operators to proactively schedule battery replacements, removing unplanned downtime from operations.

Due to the simplicity of the plug-and-play-style system, installation times are said to be quick and the number of approved fitting agents is growing internationally. At its heart lies the Smart Charge Controller which is designed specifically for logistic applications and regulates the transfer of energy from the alternator and solar matts to the vehicle battery.