Solar Refrigeration

The Army Combat Feeding Equipment and Technology Team has identified the potential merits of using renewable energy to power the refrigeration unit for their 20-ft food containers. Using renewable energy can reduce both the operational and location footprint of these containers. Renewable energy systems typically find markets in situations where the cost to deliver energy to the end device is high. The cost of transporting fuel and providing service to diesel power generators located in remote parts of the world is very high, and thus creates an opportunity to consider the use of renewable energy systems that will significantly reduce both fuel use and the maintenance logistics burden for these systems. In the case of food refrigeration, several similar technology systems have already been developed that support the notion that this is a practical application of renewable energy.