In a bid to reduce carbon emissions in every area of its business, Müller is trialling two types of zero-emission refrigerated trailers.
Instead of a diesel engine, the Sunswap trailer uses roof-mounted solar panels and a battery to power the refrigeration unit. Per trailer, it’s estimated the Sunswap solar and battery setup would save up to 3,700 litres of diesel and 9 tonnes of carbon every year.
Müller is also trialling Carrier Transicold’s Vector eCool refrigerated trailer system that’s powered by kinetic energy (photographed here on a Gray & Adams trailer). Energy from the trailer axle and brakes is converted into electricity and stored in a battery pack to power the refrigeration unit. This is another solution to completely eliminate emissions associated with traditional diesel powered refrigeration. Once the trial process is complete, Muller will consider additional testing or a wider rollout across its fleet.
Dan Hamby, head of distribution at Müller Milk & Ingredients said: “Customers and shoppers expect us to look for ways to reduce carbon whilst maintaining our industry leading levels of product quality and customer service.
“With each trailer capable of transporting 8,000 bottles of milk, we have to maintain the correct temperature and make sure we hit the delivery windows to meet our customer obligations. Our approach is to test, learn and introduce innovation which is sustainable and scalable.
“We are unique in that the vast majority of our logistics operations are in-house, giving us the ability to work with our customers, and throughout the supply, to find the right solutions. As we look to deliver a better dairy future, we will continually innovate to reduce our impact.”
Michael Lowe, Sunswap CEO said: “We started Sunswap, the world’s only purpose-built battery and solar-powered refrigeration system to support forward-thinking and innovative distributors such as Müller to decarbonise their supply chain and reduce their energy costs. We’re thrilled to complete yet another successful trial ahead of entering production and our units entering service at the beginning of 2024.”
Scott Dargan, MDr for the UK & Northern Europe at Carrier Transicol,d said: “Since its launch in 2020 the Vector eCool has been helping an ever-growing number of businesses meet their sustainability goals, and we’re delighted to see Müller join that list. As it was the first trailer system of its kind available in the UK, we were proud to lead the charge when it came to decarbonising the cold chain, and now we look forward to working closely with the Müller team to ensure they maximise the benefits the eCool can deliver.”
