Low-Carbon Cold Room
Development and piloting of the world´s first low-carbon cold room
in Homabay, Kenya
06/2023 - 04/2024
Partners
General Overview
- Project developer: Phaesun GmbH, Solar Cooling Engineering GmbH, Efficiency for Access
- Funding partner: Siemens initiative Cents4Sense with support from the Siemens Stiftung and the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund (EforA)
- Customer: WeHub Victoria Limited
- Beneficiaries: Market vendors at Homabay market place
- Installation: April – September 2024
Background
Southern Africa has the highest greenhouse gas emissions due to food loss in the world. Improving cold chain management could not only help to significantly reduce food loss but also cut the resulting emissions by two thirds. The pilot project serves as a blueprint for solar installers and developers to continue working on sustainable cooling solutions for agriculture in the tropics and subtropics.
Project Outcome
In April 2025, the world’s most sustainable cold storage facility was officially inaugurated in Homabay, West Kenya, by Deputy Ambassador Alexander Fierley and the Homabay County Government. The “Low Carbon Cold Room” is based on SelfChill technology developed by Memmingen-based solar company Phaesun and was developed by an interdisciplinary research team working on the Efficiency for Access (EforA) initiative to reduce food waste in marketplaces.
The “Low-Carboon Cold Room” is an independent PV-powered system to chill up to 500kg of agricultural products daily to 10°C, even with ambient temperatures as high as 35°C. The system is based on the SelfChill concept, using a thermal energy storage to cool the inner of the cold cell. Construction and insulation material is mainly wood and straw, to keep costs and CO2-footprint low.
The operation of the cold room is managed by WeHub Victoria Limited which offer refrigeration facilities for market traders. They can rent individual crates in the cold room and store their fruits and vegetables overnight or for several days.
EforA has now published the findings in the report “Designing for Sustainability: Blueprint for a Low-Carbon Cold Room“.
Support
The pilot project was funded by the Siemens initiative Cents4Sense with support from the Siemens Stiftung and the Efficiency for Access Research and Development Fund (EforA). The goal to keep the overall cold room investment costs below 30.000 Euros was reached.
