Tag Archive for: solar refrigeration

AgriSolar News Roundup: Agrisolar Refrigeration, Pennsylvania Agrisolar, New Zealand Agrisolar Development  

African Company Provides Agrisolar Refrigeration 

“A company called AkoFresh is providing solar-powered refrigerated storage that it says extends the shelf life of perishable crops from about 5 days to 21 days. This will boost seasonal income for farmers by more than $10 million, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15%. Farmers can rent a space in the cold store for a daily fee of $0.30 per 20-kilogram crate of produce or take up a weekly subscription. They can also pay for the cold storage with crops instead of cash.” – World Economic Forum 

Research Being Conducted at Pennsylvania Agrisolar Site 

“In recent years, the environmental management of solar farms has become an exciting area of academic research, to assess how different practices affect the productivity of solar and agricultural enterprises and the land on which they operate. Two studies seeking to answer research questions around these topics are currently underway at Lightsource bp’s Nittany 1, 2 and 3 solar projects in Pennsylvania.   

All three sites were designed and are being actively managed to boost biodiversity and support pollinator populations, in addition to generating clean energy for Penn State and their students. Lightsource bp seeded the sites with a mix specifically formulated by the American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA), in partnership with Ernst Conservation Seeds and Pollinator Service. The seed mix, aptly named ‘Fuzz and Buzz,’ was designed to support pollinator species at solar sites, in addition to flocks of sheep. At Nittany 1, more than 700 sheep are managing vegetation through rotational grazing, an example of agrivoltaics, or co-located solar and agriculture.” – Lightsourcebp 

 New Zealand Solar Farm Will Host Sheep 

“Harmony Energy New Zealand has been granted approval to develop a solar farm in the Waikato which will generate electricity to power 30,000 homes as sheep graze underneath. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has approved Harmony’s proposal for approximately 330,000 solar panels to be installed on 182 hectares of a 260-hectare site at Te Aroha West. The land will remain in the ownership of Tauhei Farms Limited, with livestock grazing continuing with sheep, rather than the current dairy herd.” –https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/300693453/hauraki-solar-farm-that-could-power-30000-homes-gets-green-light Power Technology 

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Performance of a Fabricated Solar-Powered Vapour Compression Cooler in Maintaining Post-Harvest Quality of French Beans in Kenya

This report describes the efficacy of a solar-powered cooler in Kenya. In addition to keeping the produce cooler, it also maintains the carbon dioxide and oxygen balance and reduces spoilage. These conclusions were drawn from variations of storage conditions and climate conditions of the beans in the study.

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Solar-Powered Refrigeration System

This NASA report describes a solar-powered refrigeration system that uses a variable speed, direct current (DC) vapor compression cooling system, connected to a solar photovoltaic panel. The system, patented by NASA, eliminates reliance on an electric grid, requires no batteries and stores thermal energy for efficient use when sunlight is absent. The system is specifically ideal for off-grid applications, and works well for vaccine coolers and solar-ice makers, among other things. Some of the contexts of this system’s application has been found in various agrisolar operations.

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Solar Powered Evaporative Cooled Storage Structure For Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

This report describes a food storage structure that includes a solar-powered, evaporative cooler. The storage structure was designed and developed to increase the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. The report shows that this is made possible by solar-powered exhaust fans and a cooling pump that provides water to the pads. These applications may be useful when agrisolar operations are located in dry or desert conditions.

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Design and Test of an Affordable Cold Room Powered by Solar for Improving Storage Quality and Reducing Wastage of Horticulture Produce

This report describes a cold-storage structure that employs a solar-powered cooler to reduce food spoilage after harvest. The results of this project show that through low-cost cold rooms powered by solar energy, farmers can extend shelf life of fruits and vegetables which ultimately increases revenue for smallholder farms and their bargaining power in the marketplace.

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A Novel Solar Powered Milk Cooling Refrigeration Unit with Cold Thermal Energy Storage for Rural Application

This article discusses the effectiveness of solar PV in a twin-circuit DC milk chiller in rural India. The study measured average amounts of ice formed per day for a period of eighteen days out of each season as well as the climactic conditions that variations of the refrigerants operated under. The system ultimately operates with less power during conditions that include automated temperature-based shut offs based on milk temperature. This allows energy to be utilized elsewhere when shut-off systems are engaged.

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