Tree_Sea.mals

Solar Powered Communal Refrigeration

This project will pilot solar-powered cold storage in the livestock value chain. Using a B2B model, Tree_Sea.mals will target Nairobi meat markets that source from low-income pastoralist groups in Northern Kenya. The pilot will be at the Burma, which trades over 2,500 carcasses per week and is the main retail outlet for butcheries handling 93% of household meat purchases. The project will set up PAYG units with 15 kWp and the capacity to cool 864 tonnes of meat per year. These will provide the anchor load for a solar PV mini-grid and reduce post-slaughter food loss by about 288 tonnes per year. EEP Africa financing will cover capex costs, enabling this start-up to develop and prove its innovative business model.

Outcome and Impact

Three cold storage units at the market will serve up to 156 meat traders at the market. The switch from current cold storage technologies to a shared solar-powered cooling solution is expected to reduce energy costs by EUR 23,750 per year. The project also aims to reduce emissions by over 77 tonnes of CO₂e per year and create 36 new jobs.

Download the project fact sheet >>