Reducing Milk Spoilage through Solar Powered Milk Chilling
Overview
| Project | Reducing Milk Spoilage through Solar Powered Milk Chilling in rural India |
| Collaborators | Hatsun Agro (India), Orb Energy (India) |
| Location Applied | India |
| Website | Promethean Power Systems |
In India, $10 billion worth of perishable foods are wasted annually because of unreliable cold-chain supply networks. A major obstacle in setting up cold chain networks is the lack of reliable electricity to run refrigeration systems in villages and farming areas. Diesel generators are often used to provide electricity for milk chilling, a non-ideal solution with high operating costs and negative environmental impact.
Clean Energy Systems
Promethean’s refrigeration solution uses a thermal energy battery pack that charges on solar power and/or a few hours of grid electricity. This provides cold storage around the clock despite inconsistent access to electricity. Dairy processors can collect raw milk from remote dairy farmers and keep it cold in a rapid milk cooler, reducing the time that milk is unchilled by 75%. Promethean will design and deploy the refrigeration systems in collaboration with India’s largest private dairy and one of India’s largest solar installers.[1]
Impact
India is the largest producer and consumer of milk in the world. Increasing access to milk while decreasing bacteria and spoilage supports food security and consumer health in India, where 42% of children under the age of five are malnourished. This project will improve access to forward markets, higher income for the dairy farmers, and wealth creation through increase in herd size.[1]
Organization
Promethean Power Systems designs and manufactures refrigeration systems coupled to their thermal batteries for agricultural commercial refrigeration applications in off-grid and partially electrified areas of developing countries. Promethean is working in partnership with the Hatsun Argo (India’s largest private dairy company[2]), and Orb Energy (a leading solar energy system provider in India[3]).[4]
Progress Update
Promethean has deployed and commissioned over 100 milk chillers coupled to its patented Thermal Battery. To date, none of the 100 Promethean chillers have required a diesel generator. Without Promethean’s Thermal Battery, a traditional milk chiller would have run diesel generators to chill milk in these villages. As deployment of the chillers continues, Promethean has been able to adapt the solar design to address specific logistical needs of dairy partners.
Further Information
- Powering Agriculture Homepage, Promethean Power Systems
- Promethean Power Systems Homepage
- Powering Agriculture: An Energy Grand Challenge for Development initiative - Winners
- Powering Agriculture Portal on energypedia
- India Energy Situation
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Powering Agriculture, Promethean Power Systems: http://poweringag.org/2013-winners/prometheanfckLR
- ↑ HATSUN: http://www.hatsun.com/
- ↑ orb energy: http://orbenergy.com/company-2/company/fckLR
- ↑ Promethean Power Systems: http://www.coolectrica.com/investors/index.php
