The SolarChill Project Partners include Greenpeace
International, UNICEF, UNEP, World Health Organisation (WHO), GTZ
Proklima, Programmes for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH)
and the Danish Technological Institute. The project developed a
versatile refrigeration technology that operates on solar energy;
uses environmentally safe refrigerants; bypasses the use of lead
batteries; and can also be plugged into the grid. Developed over
the last six years, SolarChill has been field-tested in Senegal,
Indonesia, and Cuba and once it receives WHO approval will be
deployed across the world.
"The Solar Chill technology clearly demonstrates the huge,
largely untapped resource of clean, renewable solar power that's
out there. This innovation will improve the delivery of vaccine
programmes in many regions of the world and save countless lives.
We commend the 2006 Cooling awards for having recognised this
clean, safe, lifesaving initiative," said Wolfgang Lohbeck of
Greenpeace Germany.
Successful public health programmes rely on a supply of
high-quality vaccines that need continuous cooling to remain
effective. Many regions in the world with non-existent, inadequate
or intermittent electricity supply cannot provide the required
constant refrigeration, known as the 'cold chain', resulting in
millions of dollars of spoiled vaccines each year, or in a total
absence of vaccination programs.
SolarChill is also applicable for emergency relief in natural or
human made disaster zones.
The new SolarChill Unit is also addressing the current
environmental concerns about existing kerosene and battery-powered
solar fridges currently used as:
* SolarChill technology does not use any ozone depleting or
potent substances, which cause climate change.
* SolarChill will provide a more reliable, safer and cleaner
form of refrigeration than kerosene refrigerators.
* SolarChill technology will improve on existing solar-vaccine
cooling technology by bypassing the use of conventional lead
batteries, which have proven to be a major obstacle to the uptake
of solar technology in developing countries.
Other contacts: Wolfgang Lohbeck, Greenpeace Germany, Direct line: +49 (0)171 87 80 823Mhairi Dunlop, Greenpeace International Communications, +44 (0)7801 212 960
VVPR info: Further details about the SolarChill Project can be found on the following website:http://www.solarchill.org/path.html
Exp. contact date: 2006-12-31 00:00:00