Dearman to launch EU-wide report on environmental and economic impacts of transport refrigeration

Diesel transport refrigeration units in the EU could have the same air quality impact as up to 65 million diesel cars. This is one of the key findings of Liquid Air on the European Highway, the latest report by Dearman, the clean cold technology company.

The report finds that there are are approximately 1 million refrigerated vehicles in the EU, transporting perishable goods within the supply chain. Until now the impact of the disproportionately polluting refrigeration units that cool fresh and frozen produce in transport has not been unacknowledged. Moreover, their environmental cost has never before been assessed.

These findings will be discussed at a report launch on September 29, at the British Embassy in Brussels. Speakers include Marie Donnelly, DG Energy and Professor Toby Peters, CEO of Dearman and Visiting Professor in Power and Cold Economy at University of Birmingham.

Discussing the report, Professor Peters said: “This is the first time that the environmental cost of transport refrigeration has been quantified, and the results have been shocking. With 400,000 people dying prematurely every year in the EU as a result of air pollution, we simply cannot afford to ignore these hidden polluters any longer. Awareness is growing in the UK and the policy landscape just beginning to change, but action is needed now to prevent further environmental damage.”

This report focusses on diesel transport refrigeration units, which can emit up to 29 times as much particulate matter and six times as much harmful NOx as a Euro VI truck engine. These units contribute to worsening air quality across Europe, which causes more than 400,000 premature deaths each year and imposes a heavy social cost on every European nation.

Dearman is demonstrating a zero-emission transport refrigeration system, powered by liquid nitrogen. The system will be in on-road commercial trials in the UK later this year, with European trials to follow in 2016 before entering commercial manufacture in 2017.

The report launch will include a high-level discussion of the report’s findings, followed by a panel discussion and questions from the floor. It will be chaired by Sonja van Renssen, Energy Post. For information about the report launch, please contact Laura.Gilmore@Dearman.co.uk.