Sustainable strategies to strengthen cold storage

Sustainable cold storage is an imperative innovation in promoting more resilient agricultural methods by minimising environmental impact and energy costs. Samit Jain, Managing Director of PLUSS Advanced Technologies, emphasises the importance of sustainable cold storage strategies in the food and pharmaceutical sectors.

The global focus on sustainability necessitates innovative cold storage strategies, especially in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. Cold storage is a crucial component of the supply chain, ensuring the safety and effectiveness of perishable and temperature-sensitive products. Integrating renewable energy sources with advanced thermal energy storage systems can provide a promising solution for maintaining consistent cold storage in regions with unreliable electricity access.

India’s food waste accounts for 40 percent of the country’s annual waste, amounting to nearly 92,000 crore, or 1 percent of the GDP.  The government is promoting the adoption of farming-related technologies by state governments, including the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), to strengthen the country’s agricultural backbone.

The Innovation behind sustainable cold storages

Solar energy and thermal energy storage (TES) technology are being integrated into sustainable cold storage systems, ensuring low temperatures in cold rooms. These systems are useful in remote locations, as they store excess energy generated by solar panels during the day and release it at night, reducing reliance on conventional energy sources and minimising environmental impact.

This technology stabilises temperatures in cold storage environments, reducing spoilage and waste, and extending the shelf life of perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and pharmaceuticals by effectively storing and releasing thermal energy. This preserves the quality of the stored products and helps reduce the economic losses associated with food spoilage.

The need for sustainability in cold storage

The cold storage industry has traditionally relied on grid electricity, which in many regions is still predominantly generated from fossil fuels. This dependency contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and increases vulnerability to power outages, leading to potential losses of valuable goods. As the global community seeks to reduce carbon footprints, the demand for sustainable cold storage solutions has grown.

Renewable energy-powered cold storage systems, powered by solar energy, provide a cost-effective solution for small-scale farmers and cooperatives in rural or remote areas lacking grid infrastructure. These systems help preserve harvests and ensure optimal product prices, making them an attractive option for farmers. Maintaining stable storage temperatures without grid electricity reduces energy costs and ensures cold chain linkages, even in power-disrupted areas.

Food and pharma preservation

The benefits of integrating renewable energy with cold storage extend beyond agriculture. In the pharmaceutical sector, maintaining precise temperature control using passive cooling solutions is important for the efficacy of vaccines, medicines, and other temperature-sensitive products. The absence of reliable cold storage infrastructure in numerous developing countries poses a threat to public health, particularly during the distribution of vaccines. Renewable energy-powered cold storage systems ensure critical products are stored at the required temperatures throughout the supply chain. 

India, an agricultural country with a growing population, wastes over 30 percent of its food production annually, with post-harvest losses being a significant portion. The government and small-scale farmers can minimize postharvest losses and enhance the marketability of their products by utilising optimal temperature storage. This stabilises their income and allows them to negotiate better prices, reducing the pressure to sell immediately after harvest. This economic benefit, combined with the reduced environmental impact, makes sustainable cold storage a key innovation in the drive toward more resilient agricultural practices.