Is solar cooling a viable solution for agricultural value chains? Challenges & findings from a field study in Kenya

A field study in Kenya by Phaesun found that while solar cooling reduces post-harvest losses and increases income, economic viability varies significantly by operational model. Market- and export-oriented operations are highly viable with 3-4 year payback periods, whereas individual smallholder models require 40-100% subsidisation due to high commercial interest rates of 15-20%. The study identifies an "impact capital gap" and suggests that success depends on product value, scale, and the use of blended finance or Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) models.

• Solar cooling technologies consistently reduce post-harvest losses and extend the shelf life and quality of food, leading to moderate or significant income increases for farmers, system operators, and project stakeholders.
• Economic viability for solar cooling is highly dependent on the operational model: market- and export-oriented operations processing high-value produce (such as flowers, fresh herbs, and French beans) are strongly viable with payback periods of 3-4 years, while individual smallholder models are not commercially viable on their own.
• There is an "impact capital gap" in the sector; individual smallholder models require 40-100% subsidisation via government or donor programs because commercial lending interest rates of 15-20% exceed potential returns.
• Alternative models such as Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) and aggregation models (like dairy cooperatives) show promise, with CaaS specifically benefiting farmer groups and market traders by removing upfront investment costs.

APA

Ng, L. (2026). Is solar cooling a viable solution for agricultural value chains? Challenges & findings from a field study in Kenya. Alliance for Renewable Electrification. https://renewelec.org/is-solar-cooling-a-viable-solution-for-agricultural-value-chains-challenges-findings-from-a-field-study-in-kenya/

Chicago

Ng, Ling. Is solar cooling a viable solution for agricultural value chains? Challenges & findings from a field study in Kenya. Alliance for Renewable Electrification, 2026. https://renewelec.org/is-solar-cooling-a-viable-solution-for-agricultural-value-chains-challenges-findings-from-a-field-study-in-kenya/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ng |first1=Ling |title=Is solar cooling a viable solution for agricultural value chains? Challenges & findings from a field study in Kenya |publisher=Alliance for Renewable Electrification |date=17 February 2026 |url=https://renewelec.org/is-solar-cooling-a-viable-solution-for-agricultural-value-chains-challenges-findings-from-a-field-study-in-kenya/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ng2026solar, author = {Ng, Ling}, title = {{Is solar cooling a viable solution for agricultural value chains? Challenges \& findings from a field study in Kenya}}, institution = {Alliance for Renewable Electrification}, year = {2026}, month = feb, url = {https://renewelec.org/is-solar-cooling-a-viable-solution-for-agricultural-value-chains-challenges-findings-from-a-field-study-in-kenya/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }