EESL to Develop 3,000 Portable Micro Cold Storage Units.

To tackle India's massive post-harvest losses-estimated at nearly ₹61,000 crore-Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is rolling out portable, solar-powered micro cold storage units. These mobile units, with a storage capacity of 3–5 tonnes, aim to provide short-term cooling solutions for farmers, reducing waste and distress sales.

Unlike traditional large-scale cold storage facilities, which often struggle with low adoption rates, EESL’s model allows these units to be transported where needed. The storage chambers are cooled using solar energy, while phase-changing chemicals provide night-time cooling.

EESL is set to inaugurate the first three of its six pilot units, with two in Andhra Pradesh and one in Himachal Pradesh. Ultimately, the company plans to deploy over 3,000 such units across India.

Anil Kumar Choudhary, Chief General Manager and Head of Operations at EESL, stated that the initiative follows a "cooling as a service" model. Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) will pay a fee per kilogram per day for storage.

The pilot is backed by a $120 million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Vishal Kapoor, CEO of EESL, emphasized that while the initial units are subsidized, the goal is to make micro cold storage commercially viable.

HBL