New Delhi, February 17, 2025: Powering Livelihoods, an initiative by the independent think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) and Villgro, focuses on advancing livelihoods through clean technology innovations. The initiative aims to support the large-scale deployment of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) based livelihood technologies, including cold-storage solutions, which have the potential to impact 37 million livelihoods in India's agriculture and textile sectors.
By supporting startups and facilitating partnerships among go-to-market partners, end-user financiers, and other stakeholders, Powering Livelihoods seeks to promote the commercial adoption of DRE livelihood technologies in rural areas. The adoption of these technologies can help enhance income opportunities, reduce drudgery, improve market access, and mitigate food loss while promoting gender equity and environmental sustainability. The cold-storage solutions backed by the programme focus on reducing food waste and improving supply chain efficiency from farm gate to last-mile retail.
With the rising global demand for food security and sustainable agricultural practices, the need for energy-efficient and environmentally responsible cold storage solutions has become increasingly urgent, particularly in the context of climate change. Cold storage systems play a vital role in extending the shelf life of agricultural produce, reducing waste, and ensuring that products reach markets in optimal condition. However, in many regions, existing cold storage infrastructure remains limited or outdated, often relying on conventional, energy-intensive methods.
Key focus areas of the Powering Livelihoods initiative:
Commercial Scale-Up through Support to Startups: The initiative is committed to driving the growth of startups by providing tailored support, strategic guidance, and resources to scale their operations effectively in the market.
Awareness Generation through Demand Ignition: Targeted awareness initiatives are designed to stimulate demand, educate consumers, and drive market engagement for innovative products and services.
Affordability through Affordable Financing Solutions: Flexible and accessible financing options are introduced to enhance affordability, enabling consumers and businesses to adopt sustainable technologies.
Accessibility through Channel Partnerships: Strategic partnerships are fostered to improve accessibility, ensuring that products and services are available to a wider audience through reliable distribution networks.
Game-changing solutions in the cold storage sector:
The Powering Livelihoods initiative highlights several key startups that are introducing sustainable and innovative solutions to the cold storage sector:
Rukart - Subjee-Cooler (Cold Storage): Based on evaporative cooling, Rukart's Subjee-Cooler extends the shelf life of leafy vegetables and fruits by 2-7 days. Designed for retailers, it preserves produce without chemicals, preventing income loss due to spoilage. It also serves as a ripening chamber, adding versatility.
Temperate - Multi-Commodity Cold Storage: Addressing India’s cold chain infrastructure gap, Temperate’s low-power, cost-effective cold storage technology consumes 80% less power than traditional refrigeration systems. It maintains optimal conditions for fruits and vegetables, increasing shelf life and reducing waste.
CoolCrop - Solar-Powered Farm-Gate Cold Storage: CoolCrop offers energy-efficient, portable, modular cold storage units powered by solar energy. Designed for farm-gate use, these units provide cooling services to farmers, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs, enabling them to store produce sustainably and make informed market decisions with predictive analytics.
Newleaf - Biomass-Based Refrigeration System: Newleaf’s patented refrigeration technology operates on farm waste, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional cold storage. The system is versatile, supporting cold storage, pre-cooling, ripening, and mushroom cultivation, helping farmers increase shelf life and negotiate better prices.
Saptkrishi - SabjiKothi (Vegetable Storage for Cart Vendors): Sabjikothi is a compact and cost-effective evaporative cooling box that helps cart vendors keep commodities fresh for about two weeks. The cooling box features an anti-pathogen coating, allowing vendors to procure and store bulk produce at negotiated prices from wholesalers.
Startups like Rukart, Temperate, Newleaf, CoolCrop, and Saptkrishi are contributing to the development of a more sustainable and efficient cold chain system. The programme facilitates collaborations between technology providers, go-to-market partners, and end-user financiers, fostering an ecosystem that can sustain itself and encourage further partnerships.
By leveraging renewable energy, low-power technologies, and environmentally friendly solutions, these startups are working towards addressing key challenges in food preservation and supply chain efficiency. The Powering Livelihoods programme plays a role in demonstrating the commercial viability of these technologies, encouraging various stakeholders—including market distributors, financiers, government entities, farmers, and micro-entrepreneurs—to explore and integrate sustainable cold storage solutions into their operations.
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