The Federal Government financed, Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the CEFC, has cansniunced it has committed up to $10 million to drive the introduction of low-emissions electric transport refrigeration in Australia, in a bid to to cut diesel use and reduce emissions across the cold chain logistics sector.
The CEFC investment comes through the Government’sPowering Australia Technology Fund in a bid to accelerate the availability of this technology in Australia by addressing a key barrier to adoption: the upfront costs of manufacturing and importing advanced refrigeration units.
The CEFC says its investment will support the deployment of more than 100 Sunswap Endurance cold logistics units across the Australian refrigeration retail and logistics fleets, which will build on existing deployments with local Australian distribution partner, Protran Solutions.
Sunswap’s fully electric, solar-assisted refrigeration units, which ir calls Endurance, have been designed to replace diesel powered units commonly fitted to refrigerated trailers. The company says that these systems are a critical component of Australia’s food and pharmaceutical supply chains.
The company says that the technology has already demonstrated strong performance in Australian conditions, including a three-day trial over a 1,671 km route between Sydney and Brisbane without the need for en route charging, finishing with 62 per cent battery remaining.
High solar contribution, particularly given Australia’s climate, is expected to play a key role in reducing electricity demand and operating costs.
CEFC’s head of growth capital, Malcolm Thornton said that transport refrigeration is critical to Australia’s food and pharmaceutical supply chains.
“Supporting proven electric alternatives enables emissions reductions, improved air quality and lower operating costs for Australian businesses,” said Thornton.
Michael Lowe, the CEO and co-founder of Sunswap said cold chain logistics has relied on diesel powered refrigeration for decades.
“The load stays cold, but everything else, the fuel cost, high maintenance, and limited operational insights, have been accepted as the price of doing business.,” said Lowe.
“We built Endurance to change that calculation and today, we are now relied upon by major fleets and retailers across Europe and South America,” he said.
The CEFC investment puts more units on Australian roads, giving operators access to electric refrigeration that cuts operating costs, handles Australian distances, and comes with the service infrastructure to back it up.”
General manager of Protran Solutions, Grant Turner said that Australian refrigerated transport has put up with diesel’s costs and limitations for too long, not because operators wanted to, but because there simply wasn’t a credible alternative.
“Sunswap changes that and the Sydney to Brisbane trial run without recharging shows the technology actually performed in Australian conditions,” said Turner.
“This investment puts more of that capability on Australian roads, and I genuinely believe it’s the beginning of a significant shift for this industry,” he added.
The company said Australia represents a significant opportunity for electrifying transport refrigeration, with cold chain logistics estimated at up to $US 5 billion1 in 2025.
‘Transport is Australia’s third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for around 22 per cent of the nation’s total emissions2, with heavy vehicles a significant and hard-to-abate contributor.,” he said.
