Sun Salutations on the Transportation Industry
Posted by Karen Thomas on Mon, Jul 19, 2010 @ 11:31 PM
What's better than an ice cream truck traveling down your street on a hot summer's day? Make that a solar powered ice cream truck that not only brings the locals sweet, refreshing treats, but operates on 'free' energy that saves money and reduces pollution. Solar powered energy has been available to green-spirited consumers for several years. Maybe a neighbor installed solar panels or a friend raved about garden accents that re-use the sun's light. The transportation industry took notice as well. Hybrid trucks started to appear in the market a few years ago along with vats of corn-oil used as fuel-alternatives. The transportation industry didn't stop with produce though and has taken the sun's power to new, fuel and economically efficient levels.
Take for example the solar powered ice cream truck. The iconic vehicle took a modern twist when one designer Eric Zhang created a more efficient version of the popular vendor vehicle. “The MERM, or Modular Electronic Retail Minivan, powers itself via integrated solar panels. The fully self-contained vehicle can go from mobile to retail store in just three minutes. The design was acknowledged with a Red-dot Design award,” (http://www.trendhunter.com/photos/58273/related/5.)
The average big rig gets about six miles a gallon, costing fleet owners and owner operators thousands and thousands of dollars a month to operate anywhere from one to hundreds of trucks. Diesel fuel is not cheap. At last glance – Wall Street nor the Federal Government owns any stake on sun, meaning the tangible energy it produces is free. The cost savings alone are significant let alone the environmental gains that result in lowered emission levels.
Currently, the solar powered options available for sixteen wheelers are generally cab-related. Fore example, the CRL Tri-Vent Big Rig Sliders are solar powered and with fully contoured powder-coated aluminum frame with narrow stiles and tight-sealing weatherstrip.
Solar powered big rigs, and commercial vehicles in general, will continue to progress. While much of the US tries to shade itself this summer form intense heat, transportation industry professionals are seeing the light.