Off-grid modular cold rooms and pre-coolers for remote and dry areas in Ethiopia

Partners: Aston University (Lead), Jimma University, Kinder Energy Limited

Country: Ethiopia

Technology: Sustainable cooling

Stage: Early

Stage: 9

This project seeks to resolve the sustainable cooling challenge by applying innovative technology to evaporative cooling, operating it at a low cost via renewable energies, and provide economically viable, scalable alternatives to the harmful secondhand refrigeration system market.

Aston University will achieve this by utilising a green refrigeration technology driven by solar heat, and an eco-friendly hybrid PV/vertical axis wind turbine from (Kinder Energy) to maintain the system’s operation via small electric batteries. The heat will be stored in the soil to affordably maintain the operation of the technology. Additionally, we will develop sustainable business models to enable the uptake of the technology, and a techno-economic model for the technology for community use via, for example, a pay-as-you-go scheme.

The developed system will secure the cooling and enable smallholder and women farmers to increase sales volume at desired prices, minimising food wastage. It will promote sustainable economic growth and encourage the technology developer (Kinder Energy) to create jobs and empower women farmers.