Some new light has been shed on how to enhance the performance of battery-powered auxiliary power units (APUs), and it was right there above us all along. Using solar panels mounted to the roof fairing of a tractor can produce enough power to extend the operation of a battery-powered HVAC system and hotel load power for an additional three to four hours. A 300-watt roof fairing-mounted solar panel can also power the liftgate and maintain the charge in the truck’s primary batteries, according to Jeff Kauffman of Tahoe Ventures, who was speaking at the FTR Transportation Conference in September.

With schedules to keep and countless people depending on public transit daily, reliability is paramount when it comes to city transit buses. One common battle that transit maintenance teams fight involves fast-draining batteries, but CT Transit in Hartford, Connecticut, has found a bright solution from Thermo King.