UK Company Wins Funding to Expand Market Offering of Clean Cold Technology

Dearman (UK), the clean cold technology company, has been awarded grant funding by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to develop a wider range of customised applications of its ground-breaking, zero-emission transport refrigeration system.

The grant will support the modelling, testing and validation of a range of new applications of Dearman’s liquid nitrogen-powered transport refrigeration system. This will enable Dearman to meet diverse customer needs and offer a wider product range, making its technology applicable to a broader range of fleets’ duty cycles and vehicle types. These could include servicing vehicles with multiple compartments, each requiring different temperatures, or even altering the location of the system on the vehicle to suit the customer’s fleet.

The Dearman transport refrigeration system utilises a Dearman engine, which is powered by the expansion of liquid nitrogen, to deliver efficient zero-emission power and cooling. As well as having a positive environmental impact, the Dearman system presents a strong business case to operators, offering repayment on capital investment within a year.

Dearman’s transport refrigeration system is currently undergoing successful on-vehicle trials at MIRA, the first commercial field trial will commence later this year and extended field trials will begin in a number of markets in early 2016.

Discussing the award, Nick Owen, Chief Technology Officer, Dearman, said: “This funding gives us the opportunity to develop an expanded product range and to meet the needs of an ever greater range of customers. It also enables us to break new ground with our already innovative technology and demonstrate its capabilities in a range of configurations.

“Dearman’s cutting-edge technology is on track to deliver significant reductions in emissions and air pollution, as well as significant cost savings for operators. This grant will enable us to maximise the positive impact Dearman and our technology can have by reaching an even greater range of customers around the world.”

Providing a diverse range of products will enable Dearman to tailor its zero-emission technology to meet the specific needs of different customers, depending on the requirements of their temperature-controlled logistics operations. Enabling a broader range of customers to adopt Dearman’s zero-emission technology will mean an even more significant CO2 and emissions reduction.

This Smart Grant funding follows the announcement of successful Innovate UK funding bids earlier this year, which support further clean cold technology applications under development with Dearman: to develop a zero-emission auxiliary engine for refrigerated trucks and air-conditioned buses; and to explore the use of ‘waste cold’ from liquefied natural gas.