Motor Transport honoured Carrier Transicold with its prestigious Innovation Award for a joint project with Sainsbury’s to trial the world’s first temperature-controlled trailer using the natural refrigerant carbon dioxide (CO₂). Carrier Transicold, which operates in the UK as Carrier Transicold (UK) Ltd., helps improve global transport and shipping temperature control with a complete line of equipment for refrigerated trucks, trailers and containers, and is a part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

Labelled as “a potential game changer” by the Motor Transport judging panel, the two-year project launched in August 2013 uses a modified version of Carrier Transicold’s NaturaLINE™ refrigeration system, which was initially developed for ocean container shipping. The 10.8-metre, insulated, urban distribution trailer delivers frozen produce to stores using NaturaLINE’s non-ozone depleting CO₂ refrigerant, which has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of one.

In contrast, most temperature-controlled systems on commercial vehicles use conventional refrigerants such as R-404A (a fluorinated gas), with a GWP of 3,920. GWP is the measurement used to show the equivalent kilograms of CO₂. The GWP of CO₂ is lower than other natural refrigerants, such as propane, so even in the event of a leak, the use of CO₂ adds no new environmental risk.

“Congratulations to Sainsbury’s for taking a bold step forward to reduce its carbon footprint by successfully demonstrating the application of the NaturaLINE CO₂ refrigeration system for road use,” said David Appel, president, Carrier Transicold & Refrigeration Systems. “The trial’s success is great news for Sainsbury’s and the environment.”

The award was received at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London by Victor Calvo, managing director, Carrier Transicold EMEA; Justin Grace, managing director, Carrier Transicold northern Europe; and Nick Davies, head of transport operations, Sainsbury’s.

“We’re delighted Carrier's natural leadership in environmental technologies has been recognised with this award,” Grace said. “The NaturaLINE unit trial marks one of the most significant innovations in temperature-controlled road transport for more than a decade.”

For further press information on the NaturaLINE trial, please visit the Carrier Transicold UK online newsroom.

For more information on Carrier Transicold and its products and services, visit www.transicold.carrier.com. Follow Carrier on Twitter: @CarrierGreen.