Jurni Leasing has announced a partnership with RS Connect to offer Genie Insights’ solar battery maintenance solution as a retrofit installation service to its minibus customers, aimed at increasing vehicle uptime and reducing battery-related breakdowns.

The fitment of a roof-mounted solar panel provides an ongoing trickle charge to the minibus 12V battery and aims to address the growing issue of schools and colleges suffering from flat batteries due to vehicles standing dormant during holidays.

Jurni runs a fleet of over 3,000 minibuses and RS Connect’s team of 100 electrical engineers will deliver a nationwide retrofit capability for single-vehicle or large-scale retrofit programmes.

Under the partnership, RS Connect will install the tried and tested Genie Insights 50W solar battery maintenance solution to Jurni customer vehicles, which is powered by a solar panel manufactured in the UK by MIPV.  RS Connect is an established Genie Insights installation partner and has already completed more than 2,500 installations of Genie solar solutions across fleets including Network Rail and Centrica. Its engineers are trained to install the system, providing Jurni with the nationwide coverage required to offer the retrofit service across its customer base.

“Minibuses are heavily relied on during term time but can sit unused for weeks during school holidays. These extended periods off the road can compromise battery reliability and leave vehicles unable to start when they’re needed most,” said Duncan Fitzgerald, Chief Operating Officer at Jurni Leasing.

“The solar panels are designed to help fleets combat 12-volt battery drain issues on diesel and electric vehicles to maintain battery health and vehicle uptime whilst reducing vehicle breakdown and rescue costs. RS is the ideal partner as it has the capability and coverage to install panels nationwide,” he added.

John Corfield, Managing Director at RS Connect, added: “The collaboration with Jurni is an exciting one as we will reduce the inconvenience and cost for customers of a flat battery, whilst optimising vehicle uptime for schools, colleges and universities across the UK.”

Laura Reeve, Commercial Director at Genie Insights, said: “Minibuses are a great example of where solar battery maintenance makes sense. They can have periods of intensive use followed by several weeks sitting idle, while onboard electrical systems continue to draw power from the 12V battery.

“We’ve worked with RS Connect on some of our largest fleet retrofit projects, so it’s great to see that experience now being used to make the Genie solution available to Jurni’s minibus customers across the UK.”

Alongside the retrofit service, Jurni will also offer the Genie Insights solar battery maintenance solution on new minibus leases, giving schools, colleges and other education customers the option to improve battery reliability from day one.

The partnership adds another route to market for Genie Insights’ commercial vehicle solar technology, combining Jurni’s experience within the minibus sector with RS Connect’s nationwide installation capability and Genie’s experience in vehicle-integrated solar battery maintenance.

The quiet revolution on commercial vehicle roofs – vehicle solar panels are reducing lead-acid battery replacements and extending their lifespan according to Genie Insights’ MD Matt Reeve  

For decades, lead-acid batteries have been the workhorses of the automotive industry, however battery failure remains one of the most common causes of vehicle breakdowns, with many batteries being replaced long before they reach their maximum potential lifespan. Vehicle solar panels are increasingly helping fleets address this problem.

Today, vehicle-mounted solar panels are helping to change that narrative by maintaining battery charge levels, reducing deep discharge events and significantly extending battery life while reducing the number of batteries that need replacing.

Fleet downtime caused by dead batteries can result in lost productivity, delayed deliveries, and expensive roadside assistance calls.

Solar charging solutions provide a low-cost preventative measure. Many fleet operators are now exploring roof-mounted solar systems not only to support auxiliary equipment but also to maintain battery health and reduce avoidable battery failures.

Lead-acid batteries naturally degrade over time, but several factors can dramatically accelerate this process:

• Prolonged periods of low charge.
• Deep discharges.
• Sulfation of battery plates.
• Parasitic electrical loads while parked.
• Infrequent vehicle use.
• Extreme temperatures.

Along these, sulfation is particularly damaging which occurs when lead sulfate crystals build up on the battery plates during periods of undercharging. As sulfation increases, the battery loses capacity, struggles to hold charge, and eventually fails.

Many modern vehicles continue drawing power even when switched off. Alarm systems, tracking devices, control modules, and onboard electronics can gradually drain the battery over days or weeks. For vehicles that spend extended periods parked, this often leads to chronic undercharging and premature battery replacement.

Vehicle solar panels convert sunlight into electrical energy that continuously tops up the 12 or 24V battery throughout daylight hours. Even relatively small solar panels can offset the vehicle’s standby power consumption and maintain healthy charge levels.

This continuous trickle charging provides several important benefits:

1. Preventing Deep Discharge

A fully charged battery experiences significantly less stress than one that repeatedly falls below recommended charge levels. Solar panels help maintain an optimal state of charge, reducing the likelihood of deep discharge events that shorten battery life.

2. Reducing Sulfation

Because solar systems keep batteries closer to full charge, the formation of harmful sulfate crystals is minimised which means improved battery performance and a longer service life.

3. Supporting Seasonal and Infrequently Used Vehicles

Urban delivery vehicles including those responsible for final mile deliveries and school and college minibuses and welfare vehicles are just some of those vehicles where solar charging helps maintain battery health without requiring connection to mains power.

4. Compensating for Parasitic Loads

Modern vehicles can draw a surprising amount of standby current. Solar panels offset these small but continuous loads, preventing gradual discharge while the vehicle is parked.

5. Extending a Battery’s Average Lifespan

The average automotive lead-acid battery typically lasts between three and five years under normal conditions, but batteries frequently left partially discharged often fail much sooner. By helping to maintain a healthier battery state of charge, solar maintenance charging can extend battery lifespan, with batteries often remaining serviceable beyond five years, particularly in applications where vehicles spend long periods unused. While solar charging cannot eliminate natural battery ageing, it can significantly slow the degradation caused by poor charging habits and inactivity.

For fleet operators, this can translate into measurable savings as reducing battery replacements by just a small percentage across thousands of vehicles can deliver substantial cost reductions in both parts and maintenance labour. 12V and 24V batteries typically cost on average £125 and £300 to replace but it’s the vehicle downtime which is the costly impact for fleets of a battery failure. Recently Mercedes-Benz Vans UK calculated that it costs fleets £1,172.20 per day for every van out of action and more for trucks.

Every lead-acid battery that avoids premature replacement contributes to sustainability goals. Although lead-acid batteries are highly recyclable, extending battery life remains more environmentally beneficial than replacing batteries more frequently. By helping batteries last longer, vehicle solar panels reduce the overall demand for battery production and recycling activities.

Genie Insights has supplied more than 15,000 vehicle solar solutions on LCVs, trucks and reefer trailers in the last few years, incorporating UK-manufactured solar panels from MIPV.  Demand from operators looking to reduce vehicle downtime continues to rise. As vehicles become increasingly connected and dependent on electronic systems, battery maintenance is becoming more critical than ever.

Even conventional internal combustion vehicles now contain dozens of modules that continue drawing power after the engine is switched off. Therefore vehicle-mounted solar charging will become an increasingly common feature across commercial fleets.

In Summary

Vehicle solar panels are proving to be much more than a renewable energy accessory. By maintaining healthy battery charge levels, they are helping to significantly extend the lifespan of lead-acid batteries.

The result is fewer battery failures and unnecessary battery replacements, lower maintenance costs, and a reduced impact on the environment. Battery performance is also maximised as fleets get more value from every lead-acid battery installed.

As the commercial vehicle and fleet industries continue their shift towards smarter, more energy-efficient technologies, vehicle solar panels are emerging as an important tool in the ongoing effort to improve reliability, reduce waste, and extend battery life.

When a fleet operator asks us about solar, one of the first things we want to know is why. What is happening on the vehicle? What isn’t working as it should? What is costing money, creating downtime or limiting what the vehicle can do?

Those questions matter because solar panels for commercial vehicles shouldn’t simply be fitted wherever there is available roof space.

For the right application, commercial vehicle solar can be an extremely effective source of supplementary power. But the starting point should always be the outcome the fleet needs to achieve.

At Genie Insights, we have been developing solar solutions for commercial vehicles since 2019. Over that time, one lesson has become increasingly clear: start with the problem, then determine the best way to solve it.

What Is Actually Happening on the Vehicle?

The power demands placed on commercial vehicles have changed considerably. Specialist vehicles may add refrigeration, tail lifts or other ancillary equipment. Vehicles are now fitted with telematics, cameras, tracking equipment, communications technology and safety systems. And those demands don’t necessarily disappear when the engine or ignition is switched off.

The result can be a persistent drain on the vehicle’s electrical system, batteries operating at a lower state of charge, premature battery replacement and, in more serious cases, vehicles that simply aren’t available when they’re needed.

Before recommending a solution, we want to understand how much power is being consumed, when it is being consumed, how the vehicle operates and what impact the issue is having on the fleet.

From there, we can assess the available energy sources, model different scenarios and determine what is realistically achievable. For larger or more complex projects, that can also mean piloting the proposed solution on vehicles in normal operation before committing to a wider rollout across the fleet.

Measure the Outcome That Actually Matters

This also changes how the return on investment should be considered.  If a solar system generates a relatively modest amount of electricity but prevents a working vehicle from losing battery charge and being taken out of service, what is that energy really worth?

It could mean:

• avoiding a roadside or depot call-out
• preventing a premature battery replacement
• keeping an engineer on the road
• avoiding a missed delivery
• protecting a refrigerated load; or
• ensuring onboard systems continue to have the power they require.

There can be an environmental benefit too. Helping batteries remain at a healthy state of charge can extend their useful life, reducing unnecessary replacement and the associated material and environmental impact.  Read more about this here.

This is particularly relevant to the 12V battery challenges we are increasingly seeing in modern commercial vehicles, where relatively small but persistent electrical loads can have a disproportionately large operational consequence.

Our work with Centrica and Isuzu UK are good examples.  These projects didn’t begin with a requirement to fit solar panels to electric vehicles. They began with a problem we were able to solve with solar.

The Same Vehicle Doesn’t Always Mean the Same Solution

In commercial vehicle operation, no two vehicles do the same work:

• One may operate every day; another may regularly sit unused.
• One may cover 200 miles a day on a trunking route; the other could be a start-stop operation within a 10-mile radius in a busy urban environment.

Even two apparently identical vans may not have identical energy requirements depending on the amount and type of equipment drawing power from the auxiliary battery. We see this all the time – both between different fleet operators and within the same fleet, where vehicles may be equipped differently or used for different jobs.

Location, season, duty cycle, electrical architecture, battery capacity, available installation area and the equipment being powered can all influence what will work.

That’s why we don’t believe there should be a default commercial vehicle solar specification.  There should be a defined requirement, followed by a solution designed to meet it.

This customer-led approach is also reflected in recent international research. A 2025 IEA PVPS report examining the challenges associated with wider adoption of vehicle-integrated photovoltaics reached a very succinct conclusion: customer benefit is decisive.

The report argues that wider adoption will depend on the technology providing a meaningful advantage through cost, convenience or some other form of unique value.

That conclusion resonates strongly with us. While Genie Insights has been developing commercial vehicle solar solutions since 2019, our perspective is shaped by decades of experience working in and around the commercial vehicle industry.

And Sometimes Solar Isn’t the Whole Answer

Starting with the requirement rather than the product also means being open to a broader solution.

Solar can be an effective way of generating supplementary power onboard a commercial vehicle, but generation is only part of the picture. Depending on the application, the vehicle may also need additional energy storage, power conversion or greater control over how and when that energy is used. In some cases, the right solution may combine several technologies, especially as vehicles become more electrically complex and the number of onboard systems requiring power continues to grow.

For Genie Insights, that is driving an evolution from thinking purely about vehicle solar towards thinking more broadly about commmerical vehicle power solutions.  In practice, that means looking at the vehicle as a complete energy system and deciding which combination of generation, storage and power management best addresses its requirements.

The Right Solution Starts With the Right Question

For us, the most important question isn’t “Can we put solar on this vehicle?”

That may sound unusual from a company that has deployed more than 15,000 solar panels across a variety of commercial vehicles, but solar is not automatically the right answer for every vehicle, every application or every fleet.  Where it is the right answer, however, it should be because there is a clearly understood requirement and a realistic expectation of what the system will achieve.

So if you’re considering solar for a commercial vehicle, our advice is simple: Don’t start by asking what panel you need.   Start by asking what problem you need to solve.

Is Your Fleet Facing a Power Challenge?

Battery failures, increasing auxiliary loads, new onboard equipment and changing vehicle technology are all creating new demands for power across commercial fleets.

Whether you’re considering commercial vehicle solar, additional battery capacity or a more integrated vehicle power solution, talk to Genie Insights about the problem first.  We’ll help you work out what the solution should be.

Building on our recent look at European research highlighting the growing potential of solar panels for commercial vehicles and other forms of vehicle-integrated solar, findings published by the US Department of Energy provide another perspective, focusing on what is needed to support wider real-world adoption.

In our previous article, we explored the European SolarMoves research into the potential contribution of vehicle-integrated solar to future transport. Commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, the research suggested widespread adoption could reduce demand on Europe’s electricity grid by 15.6TWh annually.

Research published by the US Department of Energy (DOE) adds another dimension to the international conversation around vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV).

Back in 2022, the DOE‘s Solar Energy Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office sought views from fleet operators, manufacturers, research institutions, and other industry stakeholders on the opportunities and challenges associated with vehicle solar. The findings looked beyond the potential of the technology to consider what might be needed to support wider adoption.

At the time, respondents identified commercial trucks and trailers as one of the biggest opportunities. They pointed towards auxiliary power as a primary use case and highlighted requirements around weight, flexibility, vibration, reliability, safety, standards and system integration.

These weren’t predictions about what commercial vehicle solar would eventually look like. They were the issues the industry believed needed to be addressed.

Four years on, we can compare them with what we’re actually seeing in commercial deployment.

Commercial Vehicle Solar Emerged as a Key Opportunity

One of the clearest themes from the DOE consultation was the potential for solar in commercial vehicle applications. Commercial trucks and trailers were generally viewed by respondents as representing the largest market opportunity for vehicle solar, with utility vehicles, transport refrigeration units, buses and local delivery fleets among the applications identified as particularly promising.

This strongly reflects what Genie Insights has seen in practice. Commercial vehicle solar has been our focus since our first fleet trial in 2019. What began with a single trial has since grown into around 16,000 solar panels deployed across vans, trucks and refrigerated trailers.

That growth has given us a front-row view of increasing market acceptance of vehicle solar and, importantly, of the applications where it can deliver the greatest operational value.

The DOE consultation also identified supporting auxiliary electrical loads as one of the two primary use cases for vehicle solar, alongside contributing energy towards vehicle propulsion.

Again, there is a direct correlation with our experience. While vehicle-integrated solar is now often discussed in the context of extending EV range, the majority of systems we currently supply have a different purpose: maintaining the vehicle’s 12V battery and helping to offset the parasitic drain created by auxiliary equipment.

Telematics, cameras, tracking, safety and communications systems can continue to draw power even when a vehicle isn’t being driven. As commercial vehicles become increasingly connected and sophisticated, we are seeing this become a growing challenge for fleet operators.

Solar panels for commercial vehicles can provide a continuous source of supplementary energy to help replenish the power being drawn from the battery, maintain its state of charge and reduce the risk of battery-related operational issues.

The Value of Vehicle Solar Goes Beyond Energy Generation

One particularly interesting observation within the DOE findings was that the value of vehicle solar can extend beyond simply the amount of electricity generated.

For commercial vehicle operators, solar energy can be used to support a range of vehicle functions, from maintaining batteries and supporting auxiliary equipment to reducing demand placed on conventional vehicle power sources.

This closely reflects Genie Insights’ approach. Rather than selecting an off-the-shelf panel based on its rated wattage, we start with the problem the fleet operator is trying to solve and model the system around the vehicle’s actual energy requirements. Where appropriate, we also undertake real-world trials to validate the predicted outcome before wider deployment.

The real value of solar therefore isn’t necessarily the monetary value of the electricity generated, but the operational benefits it can deliver. By helping to maintain a healthier battery state of charge, solar can help protect battery health and extend battery life, reducing the financial and environmental impact of premature battery replacement, while also minimising the risk of battery-related vehicle downtime.

Putting a Solar Panel on a Commercial Vehicle is Only the Beginning

The DOE consultation also highlighted some of the practical challenges that differentiate vehicle solar from conventional stationary photovoltaic installations, such as those traditionally found on buildings.

Respondents identified weight, flexibility, vibration resistance, reliability, lifetime, maintenance and safety among the key requirements, together with the need for appropriate testing and standards.

Solar technology installed on a vehicle must contend with changing temperatures and weather, and rapidly changing levels of sunlight and shading while continuing to perform reliably.

Many of these requirements reinforce why we believe CIGS is particularly well suited to commercial vehicle applications. Its fundamental characteristics address several of the challenges identified by respondents: it is lightweight, flexible enough to follow the contours of a vehicle surface and, thanks to its glass-free construction, highly robust and shatter-resistant, while also performing well in the variable light and shading conditions encountered by vehicles in everyday operation. Read more about the advantages of CIGS solar technology for commercial vehicles here.

The CIGS solar panel at the heart of our system is manufactured in the UK by MIPV and has its origins in building-integrated photovoltaics, bringing with it an established foundation of testing and certification, including stringent fire-performance requirements.

We’ve then built on that foundation for the commercial vehicle environment. Genie Insights has invested significantly in testing, certification and product assurances specifically for commercial vehicle applications, designing the complete system and selecting each component specifically for the demands of transport. The system is tested against internationally recognised standards covering areas including vibration and mechanical shock, extreme environmental conditions, electrical safety, weather resistance and the strength and durability of the panel bonding system.

Our MPPT charge controller is ECE R10 certified for electromagnetic compatibility, making it suitable for integration into type-approved vehicle builds and conversions.

But our assurance process doesn’t stop with the panel or charge controller. We apply the same rigorous approach across the complete kit, including cables and connectors, ensuring each is appropriately specified and validated for its role within the system. And installation quality is equally important. We apply stringent installation standards, including installer training, defined installation procedures, sign-off and quality checks, to ensure the integrity of the solution is maintained once fitted to the vehicle.

Our approach is therefore to provide an engineered and validated commercial vehicle solar solution, rather than a collection of individually sourced components. From product selection and system design through to installation and quality assurance, every element is considered around the realities of life on a working vehicle, helping to minimise operational and compliance risk throughout its service life.

The concerns highlighted through the DOE consultation therefore strongly reinforce the approach we have taken from the outset: putting a solar panel on a vehicle is relatively straightforward; engineering and installing a safe, reliable and credible commercial vehicle solar solution requires considerably more.

Four Years Later, How Far Have We Come?

The DOE’s RFI captured what industry stakeholders thought vehicle solar needed back in 2022.  Four years later, many of those requirements remain highly relevant. What has changed is the amount of commercial experience now available.

Since our first fleet trial in 2019, we have supplied more than 16,000 solar panels across commercial vans, trucks and trailers. We’ve seen where solar works, how systems need to be specified around different vehicle applications and what happens when they move from controlled trials into fleet-wide deployment.

So many of the issues raised in the DOE consultation in 2022 mirror the areas we’ve spent the intervening years working on, from selecting the right technology to creating what we believe is the blueprint for transport solar testing and accreditation.

There is still plenty of development ahead for vehicle-integrated solar, but four years on from the DOE’s RFI, commercial vehicle solar is no longer just an opportunity being discussed. Thousands of systems are already out there doing a job on working vehicles every day.

Could Solar Help Solve an Energy Challenge Within Your Fleet?

Whether you are looking to maintain 12V or 24V vehicle batteries, add supplementary power, power onboard systems, or explore a new commercial vehicle solar application, our team can assess the requirement, model the potential solution and determine whether solar can deliver the right outcome.

Talk to Genie Insights about your commercial fleet’s energy requirements.

Isuzu UK has announced its collaboration with Genie Insights, with its advanced solar technology offered as a bespoke factory-integrated option on the new Isuzu D-Max EV.

Designed to give fleet customers confidence in battery performance and range protection on EVs, the collaboration marks a significant step forward for integrated solar in the commercial vehicle sector, with systems installed before vehicles reach customers rather than being retrofitted later.

The new Isuzu D-Max EV is the first fully electric pick-up in the UK to offer more than a one-tonne payload alongside zero-emissions capability. Fleet operators now have the option to specify Genie Insights’ solar technology as part of the vehicle build.

The system is designed to support overall battery health and maintain the performance of onboard electrical systems. For fleets operating in demanding environments or relying heavily on auxiliary power, this provides additional peace of mind, helping to protect the 12v battery condition, while also preserving range over time.

The relationship between Genie Insights and Isuzu UK’s importer, IM Group, has developed through real-world fleet use. Early collaboration began via shared customer Network Rail, where diesel Isuzu D-Max vehicles were already in operation. Genie Insights has also deployed its solar technology across Network Rail’s wider fleet, fitting around 450 commercial vehicles (primarily vans) over the past two years.

Following a period of trials and evaluation with IM Group, the collaboration has evolved in response to clear customer demand for integrated solar capability and IM Group joins Genie Insights’ growing portfolio of partners. Today, Genie Insights supports a growing number of major UK fleets, having sold almost 15,000 solar PV systems for commercial vehicles across organisations such as British Gas and BT/Openreach.

The solar system itself has been designed specifically for commercial vehicle applications. It is a bespoke 75-watt, high-voltage solution fitted to the load bed roof. Measuring 947mm in length and 687mm in width, it weighs just 2.5kg and is just 3mm thick, designed with efficiency in mind, which is particularly important in EVs where weight can impact range.

Optimised for UK conditions, the CIGS technology generates energy from daylight rather than from direct sunlight. This means it’s able to operate effectively throughout the winter and in low-light conditions, proven through extensive real-world operation across six winters. It’s also designed to perform in partially shaded areas, with diodes on every other cell and is a true ‘fit-and-forget’ solution, requiring no change in driver behaviour.

Manufactured in the UK and fully compliant with ECE R10 Type Approval standards, the solution has been developed to ensure reliability and compliance.

Alan Able, managing director of Isuzu UK, said: “We’ve been on a great journey with Genie Insights, and the relationship we’ve built in a short space of time reflects the quality of the product and the collaboration behind it. Offering this solution on the Isuzu D-Max EV allows us to give customers an integrated, high-quality option that’s already been proven in fleet use, while maintaining the durability and capability expected from Isuzu.”

Matt Reeve, managing director at Genie Insights, said: “We’re delighted to be adding another OEM to our portfolio, and to be working with a prestigious brand like Isuzu UK. By working closely with Isuzu UK, we can offer a seamless route to having our solar technology fitted before vehicles enter operation, making it easy for fleets to benefit from a fully integrated solution from day one. This is a proven, fit-and-forget system that supports 12v battery health and gives operators added confidence in the reliability of their vehicles, particularly in demanding environments.”

Solar could reduce overall European electricity demand equivalent to powering more than four million homes

Genie Insights is seeing increased demand from UK fleets to fit solar to vans, trucks, and trailers

Solar addresses the growing challenge of increasing demand on vehicle battery power from ancillary systems and equipment

Recent European research commissioned by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) has highlighted the significant potential of vehicle-integrated solar technology.

And with over 15,000 solar panels fitted across vans, trucks and refrigerated trailers throughout the UK and Europe, Genie Insights has welcomed the research findings.

The findings reinforce a principle that Genie is already seeing embraced by UK commercial vehicle and trailer fleets that the future of fleet electrification is not simply about larger batteries and more charging points, it is also about generating and managing energy more intelligently on the vehicle itself.

The findings come from the SolarMoves project, which was commissioned to better understand how vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) technology could help reduce charging demand and ease pressure on Europe’s electricity grids as transport continues to electrify. It suggests widespread vehicle solar adoption could reduce demand on Europe’s electricity grid by 15.6TWh (Terawatt-hours) annually – enough electricity to power more than four million homes for a year.

Delivered by a consortium led by TNO, an independent Dutch applied research organisation, the project examined the potential contribution of vehicle-integrated solar across a range of vehicle types and operating environments.

As onboard electrical demands continue to increase, fleet operators are facing a growing challenge with vehicle systems such as telematics, cameras, safety equipment, refrigeration units and connected technologies increasing demands on vehicle batteries. At the same time, operators are under pressure to maximise vehicle uptime, improve operational efficiency and reduce energy consumption.

Vehicle-integrated solar offers a practical way to address these challenges by capturing available energy directly from the vehicle’s surface and using it to support onboard electrical systems.

A specialist provider of vehicle-integrated solar and onboard energy solutions for commercial vehicle fleets, Genie Insights has seen first-hand how onboard solar can support battery health and help fleets such as Network Rail and BT manage growing onboard energy demands. They appreciate that reducing energy demand at source and making better use of available renewable energy have an important role to play to support their ambition to reduce vehicle emissions.

Matt Reeve, Managing Director of Genie Insights said: “Electrification is often framed as a challenge that can only be solved through larger batteries and expanded charging infrastructure. While those elements are important, we believe there is an equally important opportunity to generate energy where it is needed.

“Commercial vehicles spend every day exposed to daylight and equipped with vehicle-integrated solar allows operators to capture some of that energy and put it to work supporting onboard systems, improving reliability and reducing unnecessary demand on vehicle batteries.

“Having deployed more than 15,000 systems across commercial fleets it’s encouraging to see independent European research highlighting the potential of an approach that many UK fleets are already successfully adopting today.”

The significance of the SolarMoves findings is not simply the scale of the potential energy generation. It represents a fundamental shift in how vehicles are viewed within the energy ecosystem.

As vehicle technology continues to evolve, Genie Insights believes that integrated energy solutions combining solar generation, battery technology and intelligent energy management will play an increasingly important role in supporting reliable, efficient and resilient fleet operations.

Click on this link to download the full report

Genie Insights and RS Connect partnership delivers 2,500 solar panel retrofits for commercial vehicle fleets

Genie Insights and RS Connect have marked a major milestone in their long-standing partnership after completing more than 2,500 solar retrofit installations for commercial vehicle fleets across the UK.

Working together on large-scale van retrofit programmes for organisations including Network Rail and Centrica, RS Connect has become an extension of the Genie Insights installation and support operation, delivering nationwide retrofit capability backed by a network of more than 100 trained electrical engineers.

The partnership enables Genie Insights to support customers ranging from single-vehicle retrofits through to nationwide deployment programmes involving hundreds of installations in a single day.

While RS Connect’s core expertise lies in telematics, camera systems and vehicle electrical installations, its engineers have received specialist training from Genie Insights to install Genie’s solar solutions for commercial vehicles.

The systems are designed to help fleets combat 12- and 24-volt battery drain issues by providing a continual trickle charge to maintain battery health and vehicle uptime.

Beyond installation capacity, the relationship between the two businesses has evolved into a highly collaborative technical partnership. RS Connect works closely with Genie Insights to develop and document bespoke installation procedures for new vehicle makes and models where standard fitting methods are unsuitable, helping ensure consistency across fleet deployments.

Detailed installation guides and quality control processes have also been jointly developed to maintain solar installation standards across every retrofit programme.

Laura Reeve, Commercial Director at Genie Insights, said: “RS Connect is a genuine extension of the Genie team. Their engineers represent our brand on customer sites every day, so having a partner that shares our standards around quality, professionalism and customer service is incredibly important.

“The relationship goes far beyond simply carrying out installations. Their operational and technical teams collaborate closely with us to solve challenges and help us deliver a consistent service nationwide. Reaching 2,500 installations together is a fantastic milestone and reflects the strength of the partnership we’ve built.”

John Corfield, Managing Director at RS Connect, added: “Our engineers are used to delivering high-quality electrical installations in demanding fleet environments, so working alongside Genie Insights has been a natural fit.

“The collaboration between both teams has been excellent from day one. Together we’ve developed installation processes that allow customers to implement solar retrofit programmes efficiently and consistently, whether that’s a handful of vehicles or a major nationwide roll out.”

Solar panels on the roof of refrigerated trailers (reefers) are now a common sight on UK roads. Operators are fitting them to provide a trickle charge to keep the transport refrigeration unit battery topped up and to extend the life of the battery as it copes with increased parasitic draw from telematics, temperature monitoring systems, and fridge controllers.

Solar power and reefer trailers work hand in hand with each other, as the more power they need to keep goods cool in the summer, the more power panels can generate from longer daylight hours.

Genie Insights has supplied and installed over 7,000 solar panels on reefer trailers, including some of the UK’s leading refrigerated transport operators and supermarkets. Operators go for the high-voltage 50W panels, and this approach is working as Genie reported a zero percent fridge battery fail rate in vehicles fitted with its panels in 2025.

For the cost of a service callout, solar panels can be supplied and installed on a reefer trailer roof, and once in place, they look after themselves. In line with the trailer’s three or six-month servicing schedules, a technician simply hooks up to the solar panel controller via Bluetooth to check performance and health.

Solar charge controllers and inverters use a technique called Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) to extract maximum power from solar panels by dynamically adjusting the electrical operating point as sunlight conditions vary. MPPT optimises voltage and current, particularly in cloudy or shaded conditions, and by doubling the cells on panels by increasing surface area, Genie has further boosted panel productivity to cope with low light conditions.

Two big solar growth areas currently are on electric trucks and rigid trucks working in the catering and food service industries.

Genie is fitting larger solar arrays of up to 300W to 18-tonne rigid trucks in the food service sector for companies such as Reynolds Catering and Sysco, as their 24V batteries come under increased stress from ancillary equipment such as tail lifts and air curtains drawing power from the vehicle battery. These vans and trucks operate on short stop start journeys which puts increased stress on the fridge motor, the vehicle battery, and alternator, which is where solar energy comes into its own by keeping vehicle downtime to a minimum.

To find out how Genie Insights can help protect your fleet from unnecessary callouts and battery-related breakdowns, contact us to discuss the right solar solution for your operation.

info@genieinsights.com 

Independent transport refrigeration specialist, CB Transport Refrigeration Limited has reached a milestone of installing 1,500 solar panels to its refrigerated trailers.

It turned to solar power back in 2021 to help customers eliminate fridge battery issues, reduce call-outs and keep temperature-controlled goods moving.

What started as a one-off trial fitting Genie Insight’s solar panels to reefer trailers, has grown steadily, with solar now a core part of CB Transport Refrigeration’s offering to its customer base to enhance equipment reliability and reduce downtime.
The panels provide a trickle charge to the battery of the transport refrigeration unit (TRU), reducing the risk of flat batteries, one of the most common causes of trailers out of service breakdowns in the cold chain. Once fitted, the panels discreetly do their job in the background, keeping the fridge battery charged and fully operational.

Designed specifically for transport refrigeration units, Genie Insights’ solar solution is lightweight, low-profile, and purpose-built for the harsh conditions of commercial vehicle operations.

“We’ve always been about keeping our customers on the road,” said Kev Collins, managing director at CB Transport Refrigeration.

“Breakdowns from flat fridge batteries are a nightmare for operators – from down time of the vehicles to repair costs – it all has an impact. We needed a fix that actually worked and Genie’s solar kit does just that. Simple, reliable, and does exactly what it says on the tin.”

“My customers see the benefit straight away. Fewer call-outs, less downtime, and peace of mind. We’ve now got 1,500 panels out there, and counting,” he added.

The company, which is the UK’s longest-serving official Carrier service partner, has been supporting temperature-controlled operators for more than four decades through expert service, maintenance and installation of refrigerated transport equipment.
“The collaboration or joint venture between the two companies has been a great relationship from the start. They understand how we work, and they’ve never let us down. Panels turn up when they’re meant to, and the kit works. That’s all we ask,” said Collins.

Matt Reeve, managing director at Genie Insights, said: “CB Transport Refrigeration knows what temperature-controlled operators are up against, and they’ve really championed our solar product since the first trial we ran for one of their key accounts who were experiencing recurring flat batteries. It’s always a pleasure working with Kev and the CB team, and we’re really proud to have become a key part of the total package they offer to customers.”

CB Transport Refrigeration is committed to addressing common operational challenges faced by temperature-controlled operators. By integrating Genie Insights’ reliable solar technology into its service offering, the company is providing its customers with a commercial advantage through enhanced equipment reliability and reduced downtime.

As the UK’s commercial vehicle sector continues its shift towards electrification, fleet operators are discovering that the road to net zero isn’t just about the size of the battery pack or the range on a single charge. A far smaller component — the humble 12V battery — is fast emerging as one of the most significant factors in keeping electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs) on the road.

When the 12V battery fails, so does the van. Locks won’t release, safety systems don’t initialise, and the vehicle becomes completely inoperable — a phenomenon commonly known as “bricking.” For fleet operators managing hundreds or even thousands of eLCVs, this is more than an inconvenience. It means lost working hours, frustrated drivers, customer disruption, and mounting costs.

In the last 18 months, several of the UK’s largest and most forward-thinking fleets — Centrica, Network Rail, BT/Openreach, among them — have turned to a simple but effective solution: solar power.

Solar on the Move

Solar technology has long been associated with static infrastructure and domestic energy, but its use on vehicles has evolved rapidly. One of Genie Insights’ most popular products is a discreet 50W solar system specifically designed for eLCVs. A small solar panel mounted on the roof can continuously feed the 12V battery, preventing parasitic drain and extending the vehicle’s operational uptime — particularly in low-mileage, stop-start, or idle-heavy duty cycles.

“Solar isn’t just a sustainability measure; it’s now a reliability measure,” explains Matt Reeve, Managing Director at Genie Insights, a company that has been quietly supplying solar systems to many of the fleets leading the charge in eLCV deployment. “Electric vans are incredibly capable, but their reliance on a small auxiliary battery can create real-world issues. Solar solves that problem in a way that’s simple, autonomous, and proven.”

Quietly Credible

While some companies in the space have built their profile through marketing, Genie Insights has taken a more understated approach. Over six consecutive winters, their systems have been tested in live fleet conditions — producing data that consistently demonstrates reliability and performance. More than 10,000 solar kits supplied by Genie Insights are now in operation across the UK and Europe, a milestone that reflects both the technology’s maturity and the growing trust among fleet decision-makers.

“We’ve never been interested in over-claiming,” says Reeve. “The fleets we work with make decisions based on evidence, not hype. So our focus has always been on proving performance through data, compliance, and long-term delivery.”

That focus on quality and compliance is central to Genie Insights’ approach. Each of its solar kits comes with a range of international quality standards, including IEC and ISO 9001 accreditation and meets with Whole Vehicle Type Approval requirements — credentials that are becoming increasingly critical as leasing companies and vehicle converters look for products that meet OEM-level integration and legislative standards. Every kit is also designed to withstand the demanding conditions of commercial transport – from vibration and shock resistance to full water and dust protection.

Fleet Electrification’s Next Frontier

As fleets scale up their electrification programmes, solar is now being recognised as a small but crucial enabler of efficiency and uptime. The technology helps bridge the operational gap between theory and reality — between ambitious sustainability targets and the daily demands of vehicle availability.

“There’s lots of talk about charging networks and vehicle range in the EV adoption narrative,” says Reeve, “but the conversation also needs to include how vehicles behave in the real world. A van parked up for a week at a depot still consumes power. A solar system ensures it’s ready to go when the driver turns the key. That reliability is what keeps the transition to electric moving forward.”

Beyond eLCVs, the technology is gaining ground in refrigerated transport, municipal fleets, and specialist vehicles, where auxiliary power demand is high and downtime is costly. For many operators, solar is no longer experimental — it’s a practical, low-maintenance way to protect assets and strengthen sustainability performance simultaneously.

A Turning Point for Solar in Transport

As more leasing providers and fleet management companies — such as Novuna and Holman — integrate solar into their conversion specifications, the technology is moving from optional add-on to operational standard. In an environment where reliability, compliance, and sustainability now sit side by side, solar represents a rare win-win for all three.

“We’re reaching a point where solar will be viewed in the same way as racking or telematics,” Reeve predicts. “It’s just part of the fit-out. And that’s exactly how it should be — invisible, reliable, and always working in the background.”

For a technology that’s been quietly powering the UK’s most advanced fleets for years, that visibility may finally be about to catch up.

Find out more about our 12-volt EV battery maintenance solution.