Could tractor trailer trucks help solve our energy storage problems?

Question

There may be times when the trucking business is not as busy as wished, so what if we converted to plug in hybrid tractor trailers and loaded some of our less busy trailers with storage batteries and charged them at night when the rates were lower and there is less demand for electricity. Perhaps it would be economical to use photovoltaic solar panels to at least partially charge the batteries during the day. The panels might be on the company's roof's or atop the truck as needed. Many lots have gads of unused space.

We could then sell the electricity back to the grid during the day or simply continue to charge the batteries as needed, depending on conditions. The trailer could be moved to wherever it got the most sun or wherever it was most needed.

Employees could charge their plug in hybrid cars and could travel 20-40 miles and never visit a gas station. It seems like expenses would fall off the map, especially if as a business we could depreciate panels and batteries.

Answer 1

I don't think fuel economy with tractor-trailers is a major issue with global warming.  If we want to conserve energy expended by the shipping industry, we should just stop buying stuff.

Answer 2

Odessyeus( I probably spelled that wrong ,sorry) It dose make sense to truck stuff all over the county two reasons

1. dose you local mall have rails running to the dock doors?

2. the rail system nation wide is taxed nearly to the limit now.

Consumers set the pace of the economy and when target corp or walmart calls you and says "we want x amount of your product but we need it in three days" you cant even schedule a rail pick up in that period of time let alone ensure on time delivery.  poeple complain about how noisy trucks are when the park in there neighborhood.  You want trains making deliveries to you grocery store at 3 am? Don't misunderstand I am not angy or upset but I see people blaming trucking for fuel shortages and high prices... look at what you expect when you walk into a store and how you react when you do not find what you want.  ALL of us Consumers are to blame. all so consider cost of infrastructure and the maximum rail grade is 3%. Rails are much more expensive to maintain and build than high way. trucks run the high way and do it with out holding up traffic.  also consider poeple complain about the cost of gasoline and it is so expensive blah blah blah, i drive 55-60 and i still get passed like i am standing still.

Fact: in a class 8 tractor trailer(18 wheeler) for every1 mph over 55 mph the unit will lose about .1 mpg  per 1 mph over optimum 55mph.  Again its attitude, not the business behind it.

Answer 3

Yes, but the technology to provide enough power is not mainstream and would cost a lot.  It wouldn't be efficient as of yet.  The rate for insurance, payments, fuel and whatever are pushed through the cost so if you added a lot more in there to pay for what a truck as you described would cost, it would not be cost effective when they could just use what they have been using at a cheaper cost. Its unfortunate that money speaks louder than cleaner enviorment. but that would make the cost of living go up considerably.  I don't want to pay more for things than I am right now.

Answer 4

Ever try to park a truck in a neighborhood or a city side street?  I used to drive a truck and if they are not moving they are losing money so your idea is simply silly sorry.  Plug in cars will cause a drain on every power source so get ready for nuclear power plants some day instead of coal or oil burning plants.

Trucks have to meet a strict weight restriction and loading them up with batteries is not the answer either.

Answer 5

Long distance trucking is the major cause of our fuel issues.  It makes no sense to truck stuff all over when rail can do it for far less fuel.  I seen a news bite that trains can move 1 ton of freight 450 miles on 1 gallon of fuel.

Answer 6

I missed something here.  What's the point of putting batteries in trailers?  A highly streamlined semi truck would consume about 1.5 kWh/mile if it ran on electricity; you could load up a trailer with batteries for the sake of the truck, but you wouldn't get very far and you'd sacrifice cargo.

It makes more sense to put the trucks on rails (which eliminates the problem of pavement damage) and provide electricity via overhead wires.  See the link.

Answer 7

Truckers are not the problem...there are more 4 wheelers on the road than trucks so it should not be an issue of the trucks. RR is not the answer either. Are you going to stop for tracks every block? Trucks are used to get them to the RR anyway and who wants tracks thru every neighborhood?