Good news for food traders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The solar-powered fridge from French start-up Koolboks is already on the market in Kinshasa to help preserve fresh produce, which is often thrown away for lack of storage facilities. The appliance is equipped with solar panels and batteries that last for three days, as well as LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs and USB ports for recharging electronic devices.
The solution is supported by Orange Energy, the platform of French telecommunications company Orange responsible for promoting innovation. “This partnership marks the beginning of a new phase in our ambition to enable families to become active players in the development of their communities,” explains Nat-Sy Missamou, Orange Energy’s Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.
A view shared by the founder and CEO of Koolboks. “This product was initially designed to meet a need, and enable small traders and families to store food and have light in off-grid areas”, explains Ayoola Dominic, who has also been nominated in the 13th category of the AFSIA Solar Awards 2023 for the “Lifetime Achievement Award”.
Like most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where 550 million people have no access to electricity, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is banking on renewable energies, particularly solar power, to speed up electrification. In June 2022, energy solutions provider Bboxx and Orange jointly launched the construction of a mini hybrid solar power plant in Bagira. In addition to supplying power to one of the multinational’s pylons, the facility is expected to electrify 150,000 people in the province of South Kivu.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi