Much Cooler: The future of off-grid post-harvest cooling
The post-harvest challenge
In sub-Saharan Africa, unreliable cooling infrastructure causes nearly 40% of harvests to spoil within hours or days. Without cold storage, farmers lose significant amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy, fish, and meat, especially in remote, hot areas lacking dependable electricity.
Keeping harvests fresher: A smarter, cleaner solution
Much Cooler by ARE Member Off-Grid Europe offers a modular, solar-powered cold storage system tailored for African farmers. This quick-to-install cooling hall protects perishable crops using only renewable energy.
Key features:
- 100% solar-powered: Runs entirely on solar energy, eliminating diesel fuel needs.
- Scalable capacity: Flexible storage options from 300 to over 5,000 tonnes of produce.
- Locally adapted: Designed for African climates, with rapid setup, durability, and optimisation for local crops.
The Much Cooler is an ideal solution for various stakeholders seeking effective answers to food loss and energy access challenges.
A visual illustration of the Much Cooler off-grid cooling hall
How it works:
Harnessing the power of the sun
Sunlight is collected by solar panels secured to a durable, exoskeletal metal frame and converted into clean electricity. This frame facilitates easier installation and improves efficiency by allowing for better air circulation and cleaning. Since the system is powered entirely by a sustainable energy source, it eliminates dependence on fossil fuels or unreliable grids.
Illustration of solar panels on the Much Cooler structure, capturing sunlight
Storing energy efficiently
The Ohms Box, a robust Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), stores excess solar energy, ensuring reliable operation even at night or on cloudy days.
Powering Much Cooler
The Ohms Box supplies continuous power, maintaining the cold chain 24/7, preserving produce quality, reducing spoilage, and cutting operational costs by replacing fuel-based generators.
Key benefits of Much Cooler
- Extends the shelf life of harvests, enhancing food security.
- Preserves freshness, flavour, and nutrients, reducing waste.
- Stabilises farmers’ income and provides consumers with consistent access to quality produce.
Off-Grid Europe’s commitment
We deliver comprehensive solutions for decentralised energy access, ensuring reliability, efficiency, and socio-economic benefits.
A model of community empowerment
Much Cooler promotes local ownership by collaborating with farmers, cooperatives, NGOs, and governments. Each project creates about 50 direct jobs and up to 200 indirect jobs, strengthening local food security and livelihoods.
Get involved
Contact our experts at sales@offgrideurope.com, or visit www.offgrideurope.com/much-cooler to learn more.