SolarChill vaccine fridge wins environmental pioneer award
London, United Kingdom October 6, 2006 - An innovative new solar powered refrigeration unit developed by Greenpeace
International and six other international organizations, won the Environmental Pioneer in Refrigeration award in the
2006 Cooling Industry Awards. The SolarChill Vaccine Cooler & Refrigerator Project will enable vaccines to be stored in areas around the world without an adequate electricity
supply.
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.
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