Dutch food producer Vion is equipping eight new semi-trailers with fully electric cooling technology to advance its “Vion Move Food Green” project, and reduce pollution in food logistics.
The company said it acquired the first eight trailers with electric rather than diesel cooling systems at the end of November.
This is made possible by Netherlands-based THT New Cool, which reduces the diesel consumption of semi-trailers—which require up to 30 liters (7.9 gallons) per day with standard cooling systems—to zero. This is thanks to a technological solution that supplies the trailer cooling system with energy through a battery, and the recovery of braking energy. “This ensures that our cooling system does not emit greenhouse gases like CO2, nor will it create any soot or particulate pollution in future,” said Michael Schippler, head of international fleet management at Vion.
Twan Heetkamp, THT New Cool director, emphasized how aerodynamic design combined with cooling that isn’t reliant on fuel is for the entire food transport chain. “Vion will get considerably closer to achieving its objective of reducing the CO2 emissions of its fleet of 300 semi-trailers to around 1,500 tonnes (1,653 tons) per year in the medium term,” he said. “This shows that investment in sustainable food logistics is worth it.”
Vion has been testing trailers equipped with the Betterflow aerodynamic system since March and has “already seen very good results in terms of reducing CO2 emissions,” said Dr. Katharina Schweiger, Vion project manager in logistics and supply chain.
With an average fuel saving of up to 2.2 liters (0.6 gallons) per 100 kilometers (62 miles) over six months, Vion managed to exceed the predictions of the system manufacturer, the company said. The fuel consumption of a truck weighing an average 29 tonnes (32 tons) sank to 22.3 liters (5.9 gallons)/100 km, according to the electronic fleetboard. Comparable trucks with trailers use around 24.5 liters (6.5 gallons).
