SunChill: Solar Cooling for Horticultural Preservation

Overview

Project	Solar Cooling for Horticultural Preservation in Mozambique
Collaborators	Colorado State University (United States) TechnoServe (United States) Mozambique Organicos (Mozambique)
Location Applied	Mozambique
Website	www.rebound-tech.com/sunchill/

Post-harvest, physiological obstacles such as ethane production, respiration and microbial attack make getting high quality horticultural products to market a significant challenge. Removing field heat from these products can double shelf-life and reduce spoilage rates that often exceed 40% in developing countries. Unfortunately, current off-grid cooling technologies are expensive, energy intensive, and difficult to maintain.

Clean Energy Solution

Digital draft of the cooling machine © Powering Agriculture

SunChill is a novel, off-grid refrigeration solution enabling increased agricultural productivity by:

1. Removing field heat from crops immediately following harvest, and
   
2. Providing continued product cooling at local markets and/or central processing facilities.
   

This clean energy solution transforms 50°C solar thermal energy into 10°C refrigeration using water-based refrigerants, zero electricity and local, non-precision components. These characteristics enable production of a low cost, low-maintenance technology that reduces spoilage and benefits smallholder farmer livelihoods.

Graph showing the structure of the device, © Powering Agriculture

Impact

SunChill is one of the first developing world technologies that reliably removes field heat without a high-cost electrical supply. The low-cost system enables increased horticultural production both for domestic and export consumption, generating additional income for smallholder farmers and increased access to nutritional fruits and vegetables while generating both manufacturing and service based employment.

Organization

Rebound Technology develops tailored refrigeration technologies designed to meet global energy market dynamics while reducing fossil fuel dependence. To successfully design, build and deploy SunChill technology, Rebound will leverage critical partnerships. The Energy Institute’s (Colorado State University) product development experience will support R&D, TechnoServe’s business solutions focus will drive host nation outreach/support, and Mozambique Organicos research farm will provide the primary venue for SunChill deployment and in-field testing.

Progress Update

Rebound completed testing of the SunChill™ prototype April 2015. In June 2015, members of the Rebound team deployed to test technology in field conditions in Mozambique. The prototype is being assembled, using mostly locally available materials, at a for-profit farm, which also serves as an incubator to teach farming skills to local women. Feedback received during the demonstration will be incorporated into future designs.

Further Information

• Powering Agriculture Homepage, Rebound Technology
  
• Rebound Technology Homepage
  
• Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development Initiative - Winners
  
• Powering Agriculture Portal on energypedia
  
• Mozambique Energy Situation