Müller Milk & Ingredients is taking significant steps towards reducing carbon emissions within its HGV fleet.
- The company is trialling solar and kinetic energy for refrigerated trailers to replace diesel reliance.
- Collaborations with Sunswap and Carrier Transicold are central to this innovative approach.
- The solar-battery system and kinetic energy conversion aim to eliminate diesel and traditional carbon emissions.
- The trials will assess if renewable sources can maintain the exceptional Müller service quality.
Müller Milk & Ingredients, a prominent player in the dairy industry, is embarking on a forward-thinking initiative to cut down the carbon footprint of its heavy goods vehicle (HGV) fleet. The company is experimenting with solar panels and kinetic energy technology as viable alternatives to the traditional diesel engines currently powering refrigerated trailers.
Partnering with Sunswap, Müller is rigorously testing refrigerated HGV trailers that utilise battery and solar power. This approach ensures that 100% of the energy required for refrigeration is derived from free, clean energy harvested through solar panels.
Alongside solar energy, Müller is collaborating with Carrier Transicold to trial a kinetic energy-powered refrigeration system. The Vector eCool system ingeniously converts energy generated from the trailer’s axle and braking mechanisms into electricity, subsequently storing it in batteries to autonomously power the refrigeration units.
The primary objective of these trials is to evaluate if such renewable energy technologies can help Müller maintain its renowned product quality and service levels, which are currently above 99%. The implementation of a solar and battery-powered system per trailer could potentially save 3,700 litres of diesel annually, equating to a reduction of nine tonnes of carbon emissions. Moreover, Carrier Transicold’s system could eliminate all carbon emissions linked with auxiliary engines in traditional refrigeration units.
Dan Hamby, Müller’s Head of Distribution, emphasises the importance of addressing customer expectations regarding environmental sustainability, maintaining quality, and meeting delivery commitments. “Our goal is to explore innovations that are both sustainable and scalable as we strive for a better dairy future,” he stated.
Müller’s trials represent a significant move towards sustainable logistics, potentially setting new industry standards in emissions reduction.
