Carrier Global, a leading provider of HVAC and cold chain technologies for both buildings and trucks, has been driving toward that opportunity for more than a decade, with its Vector eCool initiative managed by its Transicold division. Among other things, the technology can convert kinetic energy from a trailer axles into electricity and then store it in a battery that powers the refrigeration system. A recent strategic alliance with ConMet, which manufactures wheel components, will amplify this capability, by capturing energy from a vehicle’s brakes. When the vehicle is parked, the eCool system can be plugged into the grid and charged in roughly four hours, according to Carrier’s marketing literature. The end game: Instead of having to run a separate diesel engine to maintain safe temperatures, the trailer can run off a battery.