COLD LINK AFRICA PUBLISHED BY Interact Media Defined( Pty) Ltd 13A Riley Rd, Bedfordview, 2007, South Africa PO Box 695, Edenvale, 1610 Tel: + 27( 0) 11 579 4940 Web: www. interactmedia. co. za |
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solar-powered cold room in Rourkela, India, is now run by a women-led co-operative. It operates fully off-grid, reduces costs for local vendors and has slashed food spoilage rates.
As solar capacity expands, PCMs offer a low-cost, scalable solution for making 24 / 7 cooling accessible to rural communities.
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REFRIGERANT TRANSITION REDUCES THE HIDDEN EMISSIONS
Anatoly Mikhailov of Danfoss addressed another critical piece of the puzzle: refrigerants. Traditional cooling systems often use synthetic refrigerants with high global warming potential( GWP). If leaked, these chemicals can cause significant environmental harm.
Danfoss is promoting the use of natural refrigerants such as CO₂ and ammonia – climate-friendly alternatives with ultralow GWP. Combined with energy-efficient compressors, these systems can cut both emissions and energy bills, offering short payback periods, especially in rapidly urbanising economies. He also noted that cold rooms can act as thermal batteries – helping balance demand on renewablepowered grids by shifting cooling loads to when solar or wind power is available.
LESSONS FROM THE FIELD
From GIZ Proklima, Guntram Glasbrenner
emphasised that technology alone is not
enough. GIZ’ s work in Burkina Faso and
Malawi has shown that without proper
technician training, community buy-in and
supportive policy frameworks, even the
best equipment can become underutilised
or abandoned.
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Cold chains are no longer background infrastructure.
GIZ’ s approach pairs solar-powered cold
storage with local capacity-building and
sensor-based monitoring, especially in the
health sector. In Malawi, cool boxes equipped
with temperature sensors are linked to
apps that track vaccine doses in real time –
helping health workers better manage stock
and reduce waste. In fact, vaccine wastage
has dropped by over 50 % in some regions
thanks to these systems.
Siddhanta called for an urgent transition
from isolated pilot projects to integrated,
scalable solutions – supported by
governments, financial institutions and the
private sector.
“ Cold chains are no longer background
infrastructure. They’ re at the frontline of
food security, health equity and climate
action,” he said.
To succeed, cold chain expansion must include:
• Integration with climate and food policies
• Adoption of natural refrigerants and clean energy
• Development of skills and standards
• Strong business models and finance mechanisms
As the climate crisis intensifies, cold chains are emerging as a lifeline – not just for preserving perishables, but for building resilience in the most vulnerable corners of our world. The message from the UNEP webinar was clear: we can no longer afford to overlook the cold chain. Instead, we must harness its potential as a climate solution, an equity tool and a pathway to a more sustainable future. CLA
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