In what can give a major push to the promotion of clean and green energy, Sardar Patel Renewable Energy Research Institute (SPRERI), Anand has come up with a cooling and drying technology that runs on solar energy.

SPRERI, which works on the non-conventional sources of energy, has created a solar-powered refrigerator and a dryer. It is now working on using the same technology in ACs for industrial purposes.

The refrigerator operates on 12V or 24V DC supply from solar photovoltaic modules or a storage battery. It has a storage capacity of 80 litres in two compartments to store

a variety of essential items that require refrigeration between -3 degree Celsius and -6 degree Celsius.

“This refrigerator is ideal for storing vaccines and other medicines in the rural areas where power supply is inadequate. Once the battery is charged fully, it can run the refrigerator for three days,” said Dr S Mohana of SPRERI.

The institute has also developed a solar dryer. Drying is a common unit operation used for reducing moisture content of a product by food companies. Many agricultural, horticultural and industrial products are dried for purposes like safe storage, easy handling, value addition, further processing or quality improvement.

Compared to diesel-run dryers, solar dryers save about 60 per cent of the cost. “Solar drying provides dust-free product and helps retain the original colour. It is a pollution-free technology that

results in value added products,” Mohana added.

The institute is of the view that the technology needs marketing and if the products are produced in large numbers, the cost of production will go down further. The institute has passed on the technology of the refrigerator to a Gandhinagar company called Sunrise Technology.

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