On June 17th, 2024, the consortium partners of the new EU project AGRI-COOL, met for the 1st Kick-Off meeting. This online meeting was hosted by the project coordinator Twente University with the participation of the 12 other partners, including the Project Officer Irene Pinedo from the European Commission.
The four-year project AGRI-COOL aims to empower African rural communities and industries by enhancing food security, reducing waste and fostering economic growth, while contributing to achieve African countries’ targets under the Paris Agreement. To achieve this, a low-cost container size, solar energy powered solution that generate and store cold will be developed. This innovative system will combine the use of photovoltaic technology, thermal energy storage by phase change materials, chillers, and smart control strategies to offer an affordable, scalable and climate-friendly solution.
Once built, the AGRI-COOL system will be demonstrated in rural communities in South Africa, Cape Verde, Somalia and Zimbabwe, to show the adaptability to different climatic conditions. Furthermore, its technical, economic, environmental and societal feasibility will be assessed.
