ICS Cool Energy has completed a field trial of an autonomous refrigerated container that maintained a -18°C (0°F) setpoint for more than seven days without a grid connection. The unit operated continuously despite predominantly cloudy conditions.
The tested configuration combined an ultra-insulated 20-foot (6.1-metre) refrigerated container with an integrated solar frame and photovoltaic panels, a dedicated DC transformer and a compact 35 kWh (approximately 119,400 BTU) battery energy storage system from the company’s hire fleet.
Ambient temperatures during the trial ranged from +20°C to +30°C (68°F to 86°F). Solar input varied from approximately 0.5 kW (1,700 BTU/h) in rainy conditions to 4.5 kW (15,400 BTU/h) in sunny conditions, while the backup battery remained almost fully charged throughout the test.
The container is available for short- and long-term rental. ICS Cool Energy also offers a standalone solar frame for existing cold storage units, with the number of panels adjustable for different power requirements, including support for 40-foot (12.2-metre) containers. Where regulations permit, excess solar power can be exported to the grid; otherwise, the frame can supply power directly to the container.
“This trial is another proof point of how customers can overcome the constraints of operating in remote locations or restrictive environments, where reliable power is not always available,” said Chris Easterlow, Hire Sales Leader at ICS Cool Energy. “We help them meet those challenges by combining temperature control technology with energy management expertise and turnkey hire and service capabilities – doing whatever it takes to keep their industry running.”
