by Joanie Robertson, Technical Officer, PATH
In March 2009, six companies submitted designs to PATH in response to its Battery-Free Solar Refrigerator Challenge. Product designs that meet desired specifications will receive financial assistance to cover the cost of third-party testing required for consideration under the World Health Organization's Product Quality and Service (PQS) process.
The purpose of the Battery-Free Solar Refrigerator Challenge is to encourage the development of new products in the solar refrigeration category for use in developing-country immunization programs. Solar-powered refrigerators are an attractive alternative to gas- and kerosene-powered absorption devices: they are environmentally sound, provide an alternative to grid electricity where it is unreliable, and can be produced affordably. However, most existing solar refrigerator products are inadequately designed to meet the needs of developing-country immunization programs. The main issues relate to the lack of or inappropriate replacements for exhausted batteries, inappropriate system sizing, and poor installation work.
The Battery-Free Solar Refrigerator Challenge is designed to help address the first of those issues. By providing clear specifications to known solar refrigerator manufacturers and helping facilitate the PQS testing and submission process, Optimize hopes to reduce some of the market barriers and spur innovation and growth in this important refrigeration category.
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