Solar Energy Solution For Cold Storage

Due to a combination of factors, including an unstable market and a lack of facilities to preserve agricultural products for a longer period, Indian farmers have always battled to reduce the wastage of their produce. According to estimates from the Food and Agriculture Organization, food loss in South and Southeast Asia is approximately 40%.

This has serious ramifications for India, where more than 80% of farmers are small landholders who are barely able to generate enough annual revenue.

Air-conditioned warehouses where perishable products can be stored are one approach to cutting down on waste. However, there are numerous problems with this as well. Rural areas have an inconsistent power supply with frequent power cuts. It has also been discovered that energy expenses account for up to 30% of the entire cost of cold storage.

As a result, India has only a few cold storage warehouses. Solar-powered cold storage, on the other hand, has just begun to gain popularity in rural areas.

After the logistics, the second most expensive operating component of a cold storage investment is electricity.

Bacteria and other microorganisms infest the food, causing it to deteriorate. The activity of these creatures increases as the temperature rises. To maintain the temperature as low as possible. These freezer units require round-the-clock power.

To meet these requirements many business owners use diesel generators, which are not only expensive but also a major source of pollution.

Furthermore, the cost of power is always rising. Also, with the rise in crude oil prices. Diesel is also quite expensive. As a result, store owners have high operating expenses, which in turn affects food prices.

To understand how solar-powered cold storage can help solve this problem and lower the cost factor for the end-user, we must first understand how it works. The whole work scenario of solar cold storage is divided into two parts: On-Grid solar-powered cold storage & Off-Grid solar-powered cold storage.

The on-grid systems work in conjunction with the grid and do not require any energy storage solutions. Most of the large-size cold storage facilities are on-grid systems. Off-grid storage systems are independent of the grid, and use battery backup to store energy. A large number of small and medium size cold storage facilities employ off-grid solar systems.

Based on the size and capacity of the solar-powered cold storage, we can divide them into 3 categories:

• Solar-powered small cold storage: used for personal or individual purposes
• Solar-powered medium cold storage: used for small groups or at the community level.
• Solar-powered large cold storage: used for large-scale businesses

There are several advantages of cold storage systems that run on clean energy:

• Reduced dependency on grid supply or fossil fuel
• Reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
• Economical at the operational front, as it brings down the electricity costs
• Ensures power reliability
• Addresses transportation woes of farmers to reach the bigger storage facilities.

Ornate Solar is one of the leading solar companies in India. We have partnered with the best-in-class global solar brands to provide you with a trustable, affordable, and reliable range of solar panels, inverters, and solar accessories.

We have also developed India’s first Integrated In-Roof system. Ornate InRoof is a roof made out of solar panels, which is leak-proof and looks aesthetically pleasing.

If you are exploring solar solutions for your cold storage facility, reach out to us at 011 43536666 to discuss your options.