Sep 15, 2011 10:08 AM

Aura Systems Inc (OTCBB: AUSI) announced that Zanotti East has entered into a contract with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). Under the contract, MassDEP will subsidize 75% of the cost to a limited number of qualified end-users for purchase and installation of the Aura/Zanotti all-electric transport refrigeration unit (eTRU).

The Aura/Zanotti eTRU uses the AuraGen mobile power system and a Zanotti refrigeration system and eliminates the traditional diesel engine used in other systems.

A typical small diesel engine (6 kW) used in traditional TRUs that meets Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 requirements, emits about 205 lbs of nitrogen oxides, 183 lbs of carbon monoxide, and 11 lbs of particulate matter per year. When multiplying these numbers by the more than 100,000 mid-size TRUs operating across the nation, the Aura/Zanotti all-electric system could eliminate approximately 20.5 million lbs of NOx, 18.3 million lbs of CO, and 1.1 million lbs of PM.

The electric system also provides fuel savings for mid-size transport refrigeration trucks of about 0.5 gallon per operating hour per truck. Thus, users can potentially save approximately 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year. When projected to the mid-size refrigeration trucks across the nation, this could potentially result in fuel savings of 100 million gallons per year nationwide. At a cost of around $3.5 per gallon, the savings to users is more than $350 million per year.

Zoltan Lemperth of Zanotti East said, “We are very pleased by the actions of MassDEP and we believe that the incentives provided by the program will start a trend for all-electric transport refrigeration to help save our environment and at the same time provide operating savings.”

For more information, visit www.aurasystems.com.