World’s Longest Zero-Emission Solar-Powered Refrigerated Transport Testing Achieved

News

8 Oct

In February, Protran Solutions, with Sunswap Endurance have successfully completed the world's longest zero-emission, solar-charged refrigerated transport route, marking a significant milestone in sustainable cold chain logistics.

The landmark trial covered 1,671 kilometres between Sydney and Brisbane in a return B-Double configuration, with the tag, 22 pallet trailer operating entirely on battery-electric power charged by solar energy.

The real-world trial demonstrated exceptional performance over 32 hours of continuous operation, transporting temperature-sensitive freight including chilled eggs (+11°C) and frozen meat (-2°C) without any external power input from the truck, trailer, or grid infrastructure.

Revolutionary Performance Results:

The Sunswap Endurance system delivered outstanding results that set a new benchmark for sustainable refrigerated transport:

• 100% solar and battery operation – zero diesel consumption for refrigeration

• 85.9 kWh total energy used (27 kWh from battery, 58.9 kWh generated by solar)

• 64 litres of diesel conserved

• 172 kg of CO₂ emissions avoided – equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of 8 trees

• 62% battery capacity remaining at trip completion

• Successful overnight and early morning operation (7 hours without solar input)

• No power sourced from truck or trailer systems (e-PTO or e-axle)

• No plug-in shore power required

Grant Turner, General Manager of Protran Solutions, expressed enthusiasm about the trial outcomes stating, "These field-testing results have proven what we wanted to validate in terms of cold chain capabilities for solar-powered refrigerated transport for depot-to-depot operations. The Sunswap Endurance system has proven it can handle the Sydney-Brisbane return route while maintaining precise temperature control for frozen and chilled freight types, all without consuming a single drop of diesel for refrigeration."

Turner added: "What's particularly impressive to our trial partner was the system's performance during overnight operations when there's no solar generation and significant parts of the trip had rain as opposed to sun. The battery reserves and energy efficiency meant that the trip completed the entire journey using just 28% which is remarkable”.

“This gives operators genuine confidence in the technology's reliability and opens up new possibilities for sustainable logistics within the cold chain sector”.

The trial route encompassed diverse operating conditions, including a 13-hour loaded journey with chilled eggs during an overnight run, followed by a 19-hour frozen meat transport that concluded with unloading at 2am – demonstrating the system's versatility across temperature ranges and operating schedules.

ABOUT PROTRANS SOLUTIONS
Protran Solutions Pty Ltd provides comprehensive refrigeration solutions to Australia's transport sector, specializing in system supply, installation, maintenance, and cold-chain compliance. With more than 30 years of leadership experience in the sector, Protran Solutions is positioned to deliver innovative, sustainability-focused products alongside proven service excellence. The company is the exclusive Australian distributor for Sunswap battery-electric refrigeration units.