Sunswap secures €420k grant funding

The cleantech startup Sunswap has successfully secured two Innovate UK grants worth €420K (£376k), working in partnership with Imperial College London and Cenex, to develop their zero-emission transport refrigeration technology.

Founded in the beginning of 2020, Sunswap is building new technology to create zero-emission transport refrigeration products that reduce noise and air pollution. The majority of transport refrigeration units (TRUs), commonly used by all supermarkets, rely on secondary diesel engines to provide power for cooling. With looser restrictions on secondary engines, they are a major cause of pollution.

The first-generation Sunswap TRU was launched earlier this year, marking a key milestone in the company’s product development roadmap. The next-generation Sunswap TRU will be specifically designed to have a much lower environmental impact than alternative, incumbent technology.

The Sunswap team will also be working with leading emissions research organisation Cenex on the project Zero Emission Refrigerated Operations, to develop next-generation electrical architecture for TRUs. The project will involve Cenex consulting industry, including four major UK supermarkets, on their TRU requirements, which will then feed back into Sunswap’s design process. Findings will be shared with fleet operators and made available to benefit the public.