Solar Refrigerator

A small refrigerator that’s efficient enough to run off of a single solar panel is transforming lives for families in Africa, where more than half a billion people don’t have access to electricity. And to make it affordable, the systems are installed on a pay-as-you-go basis to fit limited income budgets.

The energy-saving appliances are offered as part of a home solar system that also includes some LED lighting and two phone charging stations. A battery is capable of powering the refrigeration unit for up to one-and-a-half days, even without sunlight. Customers pay a small fee every day via cell phone until the system is paid off.

The technology not only makes it possible to store perishables and medications (such as insulin). It also frees up time that would otherwise be spent walking back and forth to markets. By buying in larger quantities, storing and saving leftovers, and reducing food spoilage, some families are saving up to 50 percent of their household incomes. The developer was yet another winner of Fast Company’s 2020 World Changing Ideas Awards.