BigLorryBlog

Now here's an interesting little story that shines a light on energy savings. Reed Boardall Group, one of the UK's largest temperature controlled fleets, delivering goods worth around £10m has just carried out a major fleet replacement programme that includes 62 new trailers and 40 new MAN tractors. Oh really I hear you ask? Well stick with Biglorryblog because here's where it gets interesting.

Of the trailers, 50 are single deck with a 26-pallet capacity while the remaining 12 are 40-pallet double-deck trailers with lifting decks – a concept which Reed Boardall pioneered with Gray & Adams nearly ten years ago. All the trailers have the new fuel-efficient Carrier fridge units. But by far the most interesting bit is that on top of the sloping aerodynamic roof there's a clever little solar panel to charge the lifting deck battery.

“The solar panels are photovoltaic,” Denzil Cooke, Reed Boardall’s compliance manager tells me. “This means whether or not the sun is shining, they are constantly helping to charge the batteries. In the past, the batteries were charged via the side lights which meant the drivers had to remember to put the side lights on. Now, it’s all done automatically. We are definitely experiencing less call outs for flat batteries.”

And here's a shot of Denzil looking justifiably pleased with himself---as naturally, fewer call-outs and breakdowns means a more efficient fleet (but you knew that didn't you?). Actually I seem to recall that Sainsbury developed a reefer trailer where the whole roof area was made up of solar panels---I don't know what happend to it. can any BLB reader 'shed light' (ouch) on the subject. With a picture perhaps?

Meanwhile, click through here for a close up of the solar panels and thoughts from an RB driver on is new tractor.