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

A research paper by ARE Member Phaesun detailing a field study in Kenya on the economic and social viability of solar cooling technologies in agricultural value chains, identifying four distinct operational models and an 'impact capital gap'.

• Solar cooling technologies demonstrated a reduction in post-harvest losses and extended the shelf life and quality of food products, which in some instances led to significant income increases for farmers, system operators, and project stakeholders.
• The study identified an 'impact capital gap' where economic viability varies by operational model: Market- & Export-Oriented Operations are strongly viable with 3-4 year payback periods; Aggregation Models (such as dairy cooperatives) can be profitable with support; Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) is promising for market traders and farmer groups; and Individual Smallholder Models require 40-100% subsidisation due to commercial lending interest rates of 15-20% exceeding potential returns.
• Sustainable deployment of solar cooling often requires a combination of financing sources, including asset financing partnerships, blended finance structures, and traditional donor subsidies, particularly for models targeting rural poverty and food security.

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} }