Cooling Solutions for Cold Chains

The report examines a variety of low-cost and sustainable cooling technologies, such as evaporative coolers and solar refrigeration, to reduce food loss and improve vaccine delivery in energy-poor regions. It argues that while technical solutions are abundant, the primary barriers to scaling are the enabling environment, including financing, policy alignment, and tailored business models for low-income consumers. The document also highlights the potential of using waste cold from LNG terminals and liquid nitrogen to decarbonize refrigerated transport, particularly in India and China.

• Low-tech and passive cooling solutions can significantly extend the shelf life of produce in areas without electricity. For example, simple evaporative coolers in Nigeria can prolong the shelf life of fruits and vegetables from 2 days to 20 days for a cost of less than US$2.
• Solar refrigeration provides a reliable alternative to fossil fuels and grid electricity for food and vaccine preservation, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. In Kenya, solar storehouses have helped mango growers reduce losses, which can reach 60% due to fruit flies exacerbated by global warming.
• Controlled Temperature Chains (CTC) can eliminate the 'last mile' of the vaccine cold chain by using temperature-stable vaccines that remain viable at ambient temperatures. A meningitis vaccination campaign in Benin demonstrated that this approach could reduce vaccination costs by 50% and decrease the workload for health workers.
• Refrigerated transport in India is severely underdeveloped, with only 4% of fresh produce transported via cold chain, contributing to annual losses of US$6 billion in fruits and vegetables. A massive surge in demand for refrigerated vehicles is expected by 2025, which could worsen air pollution if diesel-powered units remain the standard.
• Waste cold from the regasification of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) at import terminals presents a low-carbon alternative for powering refrigerated trucks. This could reduce operating costs by up to 75% compared to conventional diesel systems.
• The primary obstacle to expanding cooling access is not a lack of technology, but the absence of a supportive enabling environment. Critical gaps include the need for system-wide collaboration, appropriate financial models, and tailored business strategies that address the specific needs of 'Base of the Pyramid' consumers.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2018). Cooling Solutions for Cold Chains. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-05/CoolingSolutionsforColdChains.pdf

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Cooling Solutions for Cold Chains. 2018. https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-05/CoolingSolutionsforColdChains.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Cooling Solutions for Cold Chains |date=March 2018 |url=https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-05/CoolingSolutionsforColdChains.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2018cooling, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Cooling Solutions for Cold Chains}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://www.seforall.org/system/files/2019-05/CoolingSolutionsforColdChains.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }