Solar Powered Horticulture Cold Chains (Sol-Tech)

太阳能园艺冷链 (Sol-Tech)

• 批准号: EP/T015535/1
• 负责人: Savvas Tassou
• 金额: $ 99.31万
• 依托单位: Brunel University London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FT015535%2F1
• 关键词: Solar; Powered; Horticulture; Cold; Chains

Globally food chains experience substantial losses which for horticulture products can be as high as 70% of production. This represents 8 percent of global Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and substantial loss of resources such as water and energy. Food losses and waste result from to many reasons, which include inadequate infrastructure and lack or unreliable energy supply, lack of skills and access to markets. A key contributor to food loss in developing countries and in particular Africa and India is the very limited availability of cold food chains for the preservation and temperature controlled distribution of fresh produce to markets. The Sol-Tech project aims to make a contribution to addressing the food waste challenge and key Sustainable Development Challenges and Goals, including halving food waste by 2030, providing access to energy for all and alleviation of poverty and malnutrition. This will be achieved by building on previous and current research to develop to commercialisation stage an innovative but affordable solar powered modular fresh food cold storage and first mile distribution system for application in areas with no or limited and unreliable access to the electricity grid. Sol-Tech will involve collaboration between academic and industry partners from the UK, Africa and India to ensure that the technology development and commercialisation is informed by developing country needs and local political, socioeconomic and market conditions.The innovation potential and impact of the technology are substantial. Major innovations include: i) significant, up to 40% reduction of the thermal load of food transport refrigeration insulated boxes; ii) the use of solar energy to power on-board refrigeration systems and hybrid electrical and thermal energy storage to eliminate fossil fuel demand for precooling, storage and distribution of fresh produce; iii) adaptable on-board microclimate control and communication system to minimise transpiration losses, increase shelf life and maximise product quality at point of delivery.The project will also investigate and develop appropriate business models and commercialisation strategies tailored to specific local markets to ensure successful product commercialisation and maximum impact.

在全球范围内，食品链遭受了巨大的损失，其中园艺产品的损失可能高达产量的70%。这相当于全球温室气体排放量的8%，以及水和能源等资源的大量损失。造成粮食损失和浪费的原因很多，其中包括基础设施不足、能源供应缺乏或不可靠、缺乏技能和市场准入。造成发展中国家，特别是非洲和印度粮食损失的一个关键因素是，用于保鲜的冷藏食品链非常有限，而且新鲜农产品在温度控制下向市场分销。Sol-Tech项目旨在为应对食物浪费挑战和关键的可持续发展挑战和目标做出贡献，包括到2030年将食物浪费减半，为所有人提供能源，减轻贫困和营养不良。这将通过建立在以前和当前的研究基础上，开发一种创新但负担得起的太阳能模块化新鲜食品冷藏和第一英里配电系统，用于没有或有限和不可靠的电网接入地区。Sol-Tech将涉及来自英国，非洲和印度的学术和行业合作伙伴之间的合作，以确保技术开发和商业化能够满足发展中国家的需求以及当地的政治，社会经济和市场条件。该技术的创新潜力和影响是巨大的。主要创新包括：i）将食品运输制冷隔热箱的热负荷显著降低高达40%; ii）使用太阳能为车载制冷系统和混合电力和热能储存提供动力，以消除用于预冷、储存和配送新鲜农产品的化石燃料需求; iii）可适应的车载微气候控制和通信系统，以尽量减少蒸腾损失，延长保质期，并在交货时最大限度地提高产品质量。该项目还将研究和开发适合特定当地市场的适当商业模式和商业化战略，以确保成功的产品商业化和最大的影响。