Local, reliable, and sustainable: why TJB chose CAPSolar for its solar energy
03 Mar 2025
What happens when a truck breaks down due to a dead battery on the road? Delays, additional costs, and disrupted logistics.
At Transport Jocelyn Bourdeau (TJB), each battery had to be replaced every two years, representing an expense of over $3,000 per truck. This doesn’t include emergency jump-starts costing $200 per intervention and the excess fuel consumption. “The challenge was battery autonomy. We wanted to prevent dead battery issues on the roadside or in parking lots,” explains Jocelyn, the company's CEO.
Faced with these challenges, one key question arose: how can we extend battery life and prevent these costly interruptions?
The company needed a reliable and sustainable solution to:
- Eliminate unexpected breakdowns
- Extend battery lifespan
- Reduce operating costs and fuel consumption
At this point, integrating an onboard renewable energy source like solar power became an obvious choice.
Why CAPSolar? A local, high-performance, and reliable solution
For ten years, TJB had been using solar panels from China to improve its trucks’ energy autonomy. While they served their purpose, they quickly showed their limitations. Over time, their color faded to yellow, affecting the vehicle's aesthetics, and their resistance to road conditions proved insufficient, reducing their long-term efficiency. Additionally, high import costs made this option less economically viable.
So, how could they find a more effective, reliable solution tailored to the realities of road transport?
It was upon discovering CAPSolar in a newspaper that the company’s president saw a local and innovative alternative—a Quebec-based solution designed specifically for the needs of truck fleets. “What we were buying from China wasn’t delivering the expected performance. CAPSolar has a strong understanding of how solar panels work. That’s what gave me confidence to move forward with you,” Jocelyn recalls.
But choosing a good product is not enough. The effectiveness of an energy solution also depends on its installation and optimization. TJB wasn’t just looking for a new supplier but a trusted partner capable of supporting them throughout the entire project—from design to installation.
A local solution, tailored technical support, and recognized expertise—that’s what made the difference.
Pilot project success: five trucks in operation, ten more in progress
Before rolling out the solution on a large scale, TJB wanted to validate its performance with a pilot project. Together, we designed an initial integration on a Volvo VNL 760, with the goal of optimizing every available square centimeter to maximize energy autonomy.
The result? A custom-built solution seamlessly integrated into the truck’s curves, consisting of four solar panels totaling 775 W. This represents an increase of at least 20% compared to their previous solution while ensuring greater durability and enhanced aesthetics. “With the old panels, we were able to double battery life from 2 to 4 years. Since yours are more efficient, the return on investment will be even better for us,” the president explains.
But beyond the panels, Jocelyn wanted a complete solution that was easy to install. So, we worked closely with their team, supporting them at every step—from design to integration and installation. We even went further by training their technicians on best installation and maintenance practices, ensuring maximum durability of the panels.
In addition to being more efficient, aesthetically pleasing, and durable, our panels are manufactured in Quebec, which reassured the client and strengthened our relationship of trust.
A turning point for TJB, a revolution for the industry
What if this pilot project was just the beginning?
This first concept quickly demonstrated our professionalism and our ability to deliver high-performance, aesthetic, and durable solutions. Convinced by the results, the CEO decided to expand the initiative to five more trucks and ten additional vehicles in the near future, 7 Volvo (VNL 760), and 8 Peterbilt (579).
Transport Jocelyn Bourdeau is not an isolated case. The trucking industry is at a turning point. Faced with rising operational costs and increasing environmental regulations, companies are looking for sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective solutions.
With technology specifically designed to meet the challenges of transport fleets, CAPSolar is emerging as a key player in this transition.