Why you should invest in solar panels – even during winter

Did you know solar panels are a great investment for trailer refrigeration, even in winter? It sounds counter-intuitive – after all, winter is the darkest season. So logically speaking, solar panels should be operating well below optimal efficiency.

Not so with Thermo King’s ThermoLite™ Solar Panels. Even in extremely low-light conditions, these panels will help your batteries stay charged and keep your fuel and maintenance costs low. Keep reading to find out how solar panels can optimize your operations, even during winter.

Trailer refrigeration in winter

There are many reasons to invest in solar panels: battery health, maximized uptime, and sustainable energy. Temperature-controlled trucks have become capable of doing more – telematics, delivery ramps, tail lifts, and signal lights. All these additions make your trucks better, and your cold chain deliveries more efficient.

However, like all good things, there is a cost. The power needed to run these accessories is traditionally supplied by batteries, which are in turn charged by the vehicle’s alternator. And that, in turn, requires fuel. Even more so in the winter, as the battery’s capacity is drastically reduced¹ when temperatures drop far enough.

All these factors, the parasitic load of accessories and lower temperatures, come together to significantly increase your fuel consumption in winter, a season that’s already the transport industry’s most demanding time of year. Luckily, Thermo King has the perfect solution to this problem.

Save fuel with solar panels

First things first: a solar panel alone will not be enough to power your refrigeration unit. However, that doesn’t take away from their potential. Renewable energy sources can power and safeguard your devices, ensuring longer battery life and improved performance.

As mentioned, your accessories – such as tail lifts and signal lights – need power to run, which and poses an increased demand on your batteries. They might be drained before you realize it. When that happens, you might find your drivers need to run the engine – thus burning fuel – just to keep the batteries charged.

A solar panel system can help relieve this problem. It takes over from your alternator and uses solar energy to keep your batteries charged up. That might sound unimpressive at first, but it can lead to fuel savings of up to 23% per unit – while also improving uptime and lowering your carbon footprint.

Even frigid winter temperatures won’t stop the panels from performing. Extensive tests in extreme weather conditions have demonstrated the ThermoLite Solar Panels’ exceptional durability, thanks to its fully sealed electronics and flexible polymer cells.

Increase the lifespan of your batteries

And that’s just the immediate effects, it also helps you increase your battery’s lifespan in the long term. Like all parts, batteries age. Incomplete charging, the kind provided by alternators, speeds up this process. Eventually, the battery will no longer be able to charge to its full capacity – which turns into a vicious cycle.

In the end, you’ll end up replacing your battery far sooner than is strictly needed. Not only will this cause downtime, but it’s also an unnecessary cost – one that could have been easily avoided.

Thanks to solar panels, your batteries will stay fully charged, and age far less quickly than would be the case when they can only depend on the alternator. Fewer service call-outs, and fewer battery replacements. Two more ways solar panels save you money, even during wintertime, when light is low.

This efficiency is doubly true for the latest generation of ThermoLite Solar Panels, equipped with Maximum Power Point Tracking Controllers. Even when operating at low voltage (6V), MPPT controllers offer the most efficient battery charging on the market. Compared to the previous generation of PWM controllers, the MPPT controllers’ output is 10-20% higher. In other words, no matter the season, you’ll be confident your additional devices are charged.

And don’t worry about the costs of maintaining the panels either. Thermo King’s ThermoLite™ Solar Panels are designed to be extremely resistant to washing and chemical cleaning – so you can run your tractors and trailers through the carwash without worry!

Ready to get started? Explore the ThermoLite™ Solar Panels and start saving.

Want to hear what other industry professionals have to say? Check out their testimonials here.

Looking for more performance-enhancing services and solutions from Thermo King? Discover the full Max Your Cool-offering.

¹ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775322015270