Company representatives at UK event urge cold chain operators to embrace electrification and hybridisation without delay
The commercial head of temperature-controlled transport specialist Thermo King UK has called on the entire cold chain business to act now and use existing means to decarbonise refrigerated supply lines.
Jon Jerrard-Dinn, who leads the group’s UK sales division, was speaking earlier this month at the Cold Chain Live event in Telford, where he emphasised the critical role of the cold chain in the UK’s journey towards net-zero emissions.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to decarbonise the cold chain and the entire commercial transport industry,” he observed. “The technology is already here, and it’s time to adopt these solutions across the board and across all transport segments,”
Thermo King itself has underscored its commitment to electrification, hybridisation, energy recovery technology, digitalisation, and innovations in low-noise and so-called low-GWP solutions – those with minimised global warming potential.
In a panel discussion at the same event focused on cold chain sustainability, resilience, and social responsibility, Wouter Roels of Thermo King EMEA said the company’s sustainable product strategy had made some significant advances.
“We have at least one fully electric product in every segment we cover, meaning that we can transport at zero CO2 emissions via road, air and ocean,” he explained. “Additionally, we’re introducing energy recovery systems like AxlePower that harness the free energy generated by a moving trailer.”
While pioneering electrification, he said, the group was also exploring energy- and fuel-efficient solutions for traditional engines, to lower user costs.
“We’re adding digitally-enabled functionalities to our units, turning them into smart refrigeration units. These telematics systems help optimise energy use and give fleet operators and drivers real-time access to unit health and operational insights, improving trip performance,” he continued.