Sainsbury’s has become the world’s first company to trial a delivery truck cooled by a liquid nitrogen engine in a move that will eliminate all CO2 emissions caused by refrigeration.
Supplied by technology firm Dearman, the zero-emission cooling unit replaces the traditional diesel engine used to chill the vehicle and will significantly cut emissions.
During the three-month trial the vehicle will save up to 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide; the equivalent of driving over 14,500 km in a modern family car, as well as saving 37kg of nitrogen oxides.
The Mercedes Antos truck will operate from Sainsbury’s Waltham Point depot, delivering fresh food to stores in the London area.
Many refrigerated trucks require two diesel engines, one to power the vehicle and one for the refrigeration unit, Dearman said. By replacing the latter with the Dearman Engine, the company hopes to create a sustainable solution for refrigeration that could revolutionise transport emissions.
Sainsbury’s head of sustainability, Paul Crewe, said the retailer is aiming to cut carbon emissions by 30 per cent between 2005 and 2020. “This trial with Dearman is just one of the innovations we’ve introduced to help us towards this goal. Their zero-emission system is really exciting, to be running a liquid air engine quite literally means our cooling is running on thin air,” he said.
Dearman’s founder and chief executive, Toby Peters, said Sainsbury’s is demonstrating “real leadership” by embracing British engineering that creates a positive environmental impact.
“The first commercial deployment of Dearman’s zero-emission transport refrigeration system is a significant milestone for the company, for our technology and for our vision to make the world a cleaner, cooler place,” he said.
“Demand for cooling is increasing worldwide and new technologies are urgently needed to ensure that growth can be achieved sustainably. The Dearman system is one such technology, and alongside our partners, we’re proud to be debuting it with Sainsbury’s, a company renowned for their respect for the environment.”
Unlike diesel, liquid nitrogen (LIN) is a non-flammable substance, which is used extensively in industry and food preparation.
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