The solar fridge becomes an aid to African entrepreneurs living off the grid

In the heated climate of Sub-Saharan Africa, it is almost difficult to keep food fresh without cooling down. In a world where nearly 600 million people live off the grid, it is difficult to fuel refrigerators. This is where Youmma comes in from Brazil. The firm has created a solar-powered refrigerator, which small business owners are catching. Refrigerators help reduce food waste, store medicines safe and allow shops to keep goods fresh longer, says Youmma’s research and development manager, André Morriesen. Of the 2,000 refrigerators sold in 2019 after the Youmma launch, about 80% were sold to small businesses, he said. 

The small refrigerator of 100 litres is designed to run off-grid and, according to Nidec, absorbs a quarter of the energy from a standard refrigerator. This ensures that a smaller solar panel and a smaller battery can be supplied, which reduces costs. The battery will keep the refrigerator running without sunlight for a day and a half. 

Customers pay for the fridge via M-Kopa, Kenya’s solar energy firm, in regular instalments by cell phone. The $100 fee is paid to new M-Kopa customers. Regular payments vary between $1 and $1.50 for the solar lighting kit, which includes the installation of a solar panel rooftop. The refrigerator stops working until the consumer does not pay. 

When paying — typically around two years — the consumer owns the fridge and the solar energy system. M-Kopa notes that it costs more than a regular refrigerator, but the kit provides both light and continuous access to free grid electricity. 

In the village of Kithungo, eastern Kenya, Kioko Mwange runs a small store. He’s boosted his sales after he joined the Youmma Fridge, which compensates for the regular payments. Even though other inexpensive cold-storage options are available in Sub-Saharan Africa, they tend to be bigger traditional refrigerators – such as the Cold Hubs in Nigeria and the Solar Freeze in Kenya – and are used mainly for store post-harvest or markets.

Data Source: CNN