Solar-Powered Cooling for the Remote Tropics

Abstract

© 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Cooling is a necessity in the remote tropics to ensure access to safe vaccines, a functioning food supply chain, and thermal comfort in crucial medical facilities, as well as during extreme heat events. However, the operation of standard electrically powered cooling equipment remains a challenge in those areas due to unreliable electricity grids, if they are even present. Therefore, solar-powered cooling is a promising option, as it can operate independently from the grid. The solutions include solar-powered refrigerators for domestic and commercial use as well as vaccine storage, solar-powered cold storages and ice makers to serve the first mile of the food supply chain, and solar-powered air conditioners to cope with heat waves. Despite the variety and complexity of the system configurations and products, the technology is ready to be implemented. Nevertheless, a wide implementation has not yet been achieved due to a lack of viable business models. However, locally adapted business models, in combination with suitable system configurations/products, have the potential to create large impact in various parts of the remote tropics.