Solar cooling: i-Cool Solar

Mitsubishi Chemical, ICL and Nippon Fruehauf have developed i-Cool Solar to air condition trucks. The system uses solar panels on the roof of the container. Mitsubishi Chemical claims that i-Cool Solar will reduce CO2 emissions per 10-ton nes truck by 3.3 tonnes/year. According to its creators, the i-Cool Solar system will save 1.8 litres of light oil per hour whilst the truck is stationary and fuel consumption will decrease by 1% when the truck is in action. In a year, around 1500 litres of light oil will be saved. Mitsubishi Chemical estimates that if all the trucks in Japan (around 1.4 million) were to use the i-Cool Solar system, the country's CO2 emissions would be reduced by 1.65 million tonnse. An i-Cool system suitable for cars is being developed.