The Dearman Hubbard zero-emission transport refrigeration unit (TRU) has been deployed on the European mainland for the first time. In a partnership with Unilever, the trial successfully demonstrated the efficiency and positive environmental impact of the TRU.
In a six-month deployment that ran from June to December 2017, Unilever used a Dearman Hubbard transport refrigeration unit to undertake deliveries of frozen produce across the Netherlands. The successful trial demonstrated that the Dearman technology outperforms diesel incumbents on economic and environmental grounds.
Operating a single Dearman Hubbard TRU reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 600 kg per month compared with a conventional diesel system. It also eliminated all nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions, providing a significant positive impact upon local air quality.
This trial demonstrated the operational benefits of the TRU, which offers rapid cool-down rates that exceed standards set by diesel systems. It also had a positive impact upon noise, achieving levels well below accepted PIEK standards of 60 dB(A).
The trial was also able to demonstrate that while achieving these operational, environmental and social benefits, it was cost-comparable to existing diesel systems, meaning that operators can achieve advantages without having to absorb more costs.
Scott MacMeekin, CEO of Dearman, said, “We are delighted that a major global player like Unilever took on a Dearman transport refrigeration unit and saw real benefit to its operations. Both Unilever and Dearman have a shared ambition to tackle environmental impacts through innovation. This trial has taken us a big step forward on that journey as we have been able to demonstrate that Dearman technology is able to provide environmental and societal benefits alongside operational improvements while remaining cost-competitive.”
Development of the Dearman engine has been backed by more than £6 million in grants from the United Kingdom’s government. After a successful trial with a major British supermarket chain, commercial roll-out of the Dearman TRU is expected in the UK in 2018.
Transport refrigeration also has a key sustainability impact across Europe. If all 28 European Union nations were to convert their TRU fleet to zero-emission systems over the next decade, they would collectively save 36 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, 224,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxide, 30,000 tonnes of particulate matter and almost 36 billion liters of diesel.
For further information, email Dearman’s Mo Saqib at [email protected] or phone +44-(0)-203-829-0035.
