Tired of running diesel-fuelled fridges? Well why not take a (green) leaf out of ASDA's book suggests Biglorryblog? Today the supermarket giant unveiled plans to replace its traditional diesel-fuelled reefers in its transport fleet with an emission-free, silent-running alternative, thereby reducing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions (not to say particulates) and eliminating noise too when making deliveries to its stores. And how are they going to do that I hear you ask?
Well it seems it's trialling the aptly-titled 'ecoFridge' in seven articulated vehicles at the company's Skelmersdale depot. And according to the accompanying press blurb the result will be to "...reduce the overall amount of carbon emitted by its fleet transport by around 860 tonnes, putting the supermarket on course to hit their commitment in reducing the amount of carbon produced by 80,000 metric tonnes by the end of 2008." Way to go guys...BLB can't wait to see if the ecoFridges are as good as they sound.
And click through here to see how they do it...
If the trials prove successful, ASDA says it may well roll-out the ecoFridge across its entire fleet of temperature-controlled distribution trailers. Indeed, by switching all of its fleet transport to nitrogen-powered refrigeration, ASDA estimates it could reduce overall carbon emissions by 70,000 metric tonnes in the next five years.
The ecoFridge (designed by Ukram Industries) uses liquid nitrogen as the accelerant (shouldn't that be refrigerent?) in the cooling process. "By comparison, traditional, diesel-fuelled fridges can emit high levels of carbon dioxide and hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs), both renowned for their contribution to global warming and depletion of the ozone layer," says ASDA. Hmmm...I wonder if the fridge makers would agree with all that? But I digresss.
However, ASDA goes on: "Not only will ecoFridge eliminate carbon emissions – calculated by the Department of Transport to be 2.6304 kgs per litre of diesel burned – but, owing to its engineering simplicity, maintenance costs are reduced by at least 65%." Now that IS some saving---provided they can achieve it
Chris Hall, ASDA's network transport manager, tells BLB: "This is a major step towards ensuring that our fleet transport reduces costs, cuts carbon emissions and lowers the overall environmental impact of food distribution. It also solves the problem of delivering chilled goods to our stores in residential areas - especially at night, due to the silent running nature of the technology."
Meanwhile, the ecoFridge scheme is the latest in a long line of green initiatives introduced by ASDA to minimise carbon emissions. Last year all 1000 lorries used in its distribution fleet were converted to run on a bio-diesel mix reducing carbon tail pipe emissions by 3%.
And the company has sought planning permission to install five two megawatt wind turbines and aims to have all fully operational by the end of next year.
I wonder in what way this differs for the liquid nitrogen fridge boxes operated by Transhield/BOC/Gist for many years? (And which I have driven)
I believe that involvement in refrigeration is what led BOC into M&S distribution in the first place.
I was going to say the very same Chris... ! Way back in the days of BOC Transhield, they used the very same thing. I remember every M&S chilled and frozen distribution centre had a large nitrogen gas tank in the corner of the yard. Progress eh! You know what they say about the wheel turning full circle - or was it history repeating... ?
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