In the developed world , the average consumer may not be aware that the domestic refrigerator is only the final link in a long continuum that begins on the farm and ends on the table . These two end points are connected by a co-ordinated series of actions and technologies designed to maintain the temperature of perishable products at the optimal level needed to preserve food for consumption . This ‘ cold chain ’ is the invisible network behind the food system and in Africa , its efficiency has a direct impact on food security . According to the Rockefeller Foundation , half of the staple food on the African continent is lost in the post-harvest stage or before it reaches the market . [ i ] The World Resources Institute estimates that in sub-Saharan Africa alone , 37 % of food is wasted , which amounts to between 120kg and 170kg per year , per capita . At the root of the problem is a lack of cold storage infrastructure and cold chain inefficiencies .
Food loss and wastage have farreaching effects on communities and the economy . These issues can be tied to loss of revenue for farmers and more broadly , the wastage of water , fertilisers , energy and land . Furthermore , given that as per recent estimates one in every five Africans face hunger , [ ii ] solving the cold storage conundrum is a continental imperative .
The answer could lie in servitisation – and more specifically , Cooling-as-a-Service ( CaaS ).
A NEW APPROACH TO COOLING EFFICIENCY
Up until recently , food producers and manufacturers typically owned , operated and maintained their own cooling
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systems . This required a significant capital investment as well as a cost burden that includes repairs , upgrades and utility costs .
For many African stakeholders along the agricultural value chain , the cost of this investment has been largely unaffordable – a reality that has resulted in a heavy reliance on wholly inefficient and inadequate refrigeration technologies . CaaS can address this critical issue , while supporting sustainable development and offering African food producers unprecedented scalability .
CaaS is a relatively new business model in the field of cooling and air conditioning . In essence , it represents a shift away from traditional methods of owning and maintaining cooling systems , towards a pay-per-service system . Instead of purchasing cooling equipment outright , manufacturers ‘ subscribe ’ to a service that provides them with refrigeration solutions .
The CaaS partner takes responsibility for owning , operating and maintaining the system , meaning that equipment longevity , repairability and recyclability falls within the remit of the service provider . The manufacturer then pays the CaaS partner a fixed fee per unit of service . There is a myriad of benefits to be derived from this service model , including the freeing up of capital , the reduction of operational expenses and less vulnerability to cost fluctuations .
Furthermore , CaaS removes the barriers to cleaner , more efficient cooling technology , providing easy access to cooling for users in the cold chain , while also providing visibility on cooling performance through the measurement , verification and tracking of system efficiencies .
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CAAS AND SUSTAINABILITY : A SNAPSHOT OF THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
Apart from the material benefits of CaaS , the model also can address the need for Africa to decarbonise . The two largest contributing factors to harmful greenhouse gas emissions from air-conditioning and refrigeration systems are indirect carbon dioxide emissions as a by-product of operation , and the leakage of hydrochlorofluorocarbons ( HFCs ) into the atmosphere .
Overall , inefficient cold chain technology can result in excessive energy consumption , increasing its carbon footprint and contributing to environmental degradation .
A concerted and collective , global effort to phase down HFCs has led to the ratification of agreements like The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol . Under the agreement , 152 states committed to gradually reduce the consumption and production of HFCs . Part of this commitment involves optimising and enhancing the environmental efficiency of heating , ventilation , air-conditioning and refrigeration ( HVAC & R ) systems in the transition from HFCs to natural refrigerants and alternative technologies .
But while this commitment has a sound theoretical grounding , in practice , many users of cooling technology do not have the resources and expertise to diagnose , measure and track inefficiencies and leakages in their HVAC & R systems . Recognising this , African leaders have – by large – signalled their readiness to craft policies and frameworks that will facilitate new approaches to cleaner cooling technology in the long term .
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Energy Partners .
Samuel Jacobs , executive head of business development at Energy Partners .
For example , the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency ( SACREEE ), a member of the CaaS Alliance , launched the Industrial Efficiency Programme ( SIEEP ) to provide seed funding and training for bankers and project developers to promote market adoption of CaaS .
Twenty-one African countries ( Burkina Faso , Cameroon , Cabo Verde , Gabon , Gambia , Ghana , Kenya , Lesotho , Malawi , Mauritania , Mauritius , Mozambique , Nigeria , Rwanda , Seychelles , South Africa , South Sudan , Tanzania , Togo , Uganda and Zambia ) are participating in SIEEP to better prioritise their energy demand planning and infrastructure development so that it speaks to their national determined contributions ( NDCs ) as well as their selfdefined national pledges detailing their contributions towards the global warming threshold of 1.5 ° C .
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AFRICAN CAAS SUCCESS STORIES
CaaS is currently being adopted throughout the continent , mushrooming in countries like Kenya , Nigeria , Rwanda and South Africa as an effective mechanism to provide access to efficient cooling at scale .
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Image by www . freepik . com |
Poor maintenance and incorrect control settings contribute to a 4 % to 5 % degradation per year over a system ’ s 15- to 20-year lifespan |