RelGen – A Kinetic Energy Recovery System

Blackburn Energy turns long-haul trucks into clean electricity generators. RelGen is a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) that converts rotational energy of the driveshaft into electricity during braking and gliding.

RelGen solves the biggest problem faced by truck drivers and fleets – the inability to charge the auxiliary batteries that power the electronics keeping them warm at night. Truck drivers depend on HVAC units to make their cabs habitable at night while they sleep. Without properly charged batteries, they’re forced to idle their engines at night.

The annual environmental impact of the use of overnight idling by the 650,000 long-haul trucks nationwide is the unnecessary burning of 1.2 billion gallons of fuel, costing $3 billion and emitting 11 million tons of CO2.

A fleet of 5,000 trucks can save $24 million per year in fuel alone by adding Blackburn Energy as a source for electric power and eliminating overnight engine idling for good.

Payback is approximately one year and can save more money on fuel than the monthly cost to purchase and install the system, making the fleet cash flow positive from the first month following installation. Financing is available that pays all up-front costs of hardware and is paid monthly as a percentage of fuel savings (CapEx to OpEx)

The system requires no changes to powertrain geometry, is universal to all long-haul tractor-trailer trucks and installs in about 4 hours. The system has no unique risk to the driver, truck or others and does not conflict with or invalidate any machine warranties.

Get more out of every gallon of diesel you burn by making electricity out of the wasted energy of braking. We can save your fleet millions by increasing fuel economy, powering electric bunk HVAC, powering lift-gates, running communications equipment or providing an electric grid for each driver to watch TV, play DVD’s game consoles – all without burning additional fuel.