Wabash receives $1.6M grant to develop solar systems for semitrailers
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Lafayette-based Wabash announced Wednesday that it has been selected to receive a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Energy grant toward the development of solar-powered refrigerated semitrailers and truck bodies.
The three-year project is in partnership with the University of Delaware’s Center for Composite Materials and is set to begin next year, the trailer manufacturer said in a news release.
Wabash will use its EcoNex Technology, a composite material designed to enhance thermal efficiency that is lighter than typical trailer panels, the company said. The University of Delaware, meanwhile, will contribute its TuFF technology, which uses recycled aerospace-grade carbon fiber to strengthen and lighten the trailers and truck bodies.
The aim is that a combination of lighter weight and reduced energy needs with the incorporation of solar panels will yield a commercially viable zero-emission vehicle. Now, batteries powering heavy trucks can weigh 5,000 to 10,000 pounds, and they draw from the electrical grid when charging, Wabash said.
“This project has the potential to revolutionize refrigerated transport by reducing reliance on the electrical grid and minimizing overall emissions,” Michael Bodey, director of technology discovery and innovation at Wabash, said in the release. “While many of today’s zero-emission products focus on tailpipe emissions, they still draw power from energy grids, which often rely on non-renewable sources. Our goal is to offer a truly green solution—a well-to-wheel approach—that accounts for the full life cycle of energy consumption, from production to usage.”
The grant is coming from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office.