The latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) offers some startling statistics about food loss. Not only is 14% of food lost in the supply chain, food waste also:

• Contributes to 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions;
• Squanders a land mass the size of China;
• And has an economic cost of around $1 trillion annually;

However, despite these losses, one in ten people globally remains malnourished. As the population grows and the demand for nutritious food increases, energy-efficient and sustainable cold chain becomes critical to reducing food loss, improving food security, and mitigating climate impact. We need a global paradigm shift towards cold storage technologies that align with international climate agreements.

This brief spotlights three organizations that are working alongside Efficiency for Access at the forefront of this field:

• Wageningen University & Research has developed a postharvest assessment method, which identifies key areas of food loss in the supply chain and suggests interventions to minimize waste. Their research provides valuable guidance for reducing food loss and improving the efficiency of the cold chain.
• Global Food Cold Chain Council is an independent not-for-profit industry organization that seeks to simultaneously reduce food waste, and related greenhouse gas emissions in the processing, transportation, storage, and retail display of cold food by expanding and improving access to energy efficient low-global warming potential technology.
• Champions 12.3 is a coalition of global leaders who are all committed to supporting SDG12.3 which aims to halve food waste and reduce food loss by 2030. The Champions 12.3 coalition develops and drives a number of initiatives which are targeted at tackling specific issues and problems with the food systems, thereby reducing food loss and waste.

Read the Keep it Cool: Harnessing Cold Storage to Reduce Food Loss & Support Sustainable Food Systems in Emerging Economies report here.

About Efficiency for Access

Efficiency for Access is a global coalition working to promote renewable and energy efficient appliances to deliver clean energy to the world’s poorest people. It is coordinated jointly by CLASP and the UK’s Energy Saving Trust.

In the lead up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 30 November – 12 December, CLASP is launching #NetZeroHeroes – a celebration of the people and appliance heroes that are critical in reaching global Net Zero targets and promoting resilience in an already warming world.

Appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, electric motors, and lighting collectively have a major climate impact. They are responsible for a staggering 40% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions globally, according to CLASP’s forthcoming report ‘Net Zero Heroes: Scaling Efficient Appliances for Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience.’ CLASP’s research shows how rolling out affordable, energy efficient alternatives is key to mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis and achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Through a series of reports, videos and articles highlighting stories of leadership and expert perspectives from across the sector, #NetZeroHeroes will amplify the urgent and immediate need to deploy efficient appliances at speed and scale to protect people and the planet.

The campaign will culminate in CLASP’s groundbreaking publication, “Net Zero Heroes: Scaling efficient appliances for climate change mitigation, adaptation & resilience” – launching the week before COP28 and available on CLASP’s website.

This research will highlight the transformative potential of efficient appliances by:

• Quantifying appliances’ ability to achieve the emissions reductions needed to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement;
• Indicating where we should scale our efforts this decade for maximum impact;
• Analyzing gaps in access to appliances and recommending where scale-up would better enable communities to adapt in a warming world;
• Providing a roadmap of solutions that governments, investors and other stakeholders can implement today to get on track to net zero emissions and an inclusive energy transition.

Stay tuned and follow #NetZeroHeroes on social media. This page will serve as a homebase for all campaign materials and will be updated regularly.

If you are interested in getting involved with the campaign, reach out to Lexi Ross at aross@clasp.ngo.

On September 5 from 8 am to 9 am, CLASP planned a side event at the Africa Climate Summit entitled ‘The Opportunity of Appliance Access for a Climate-Resilient Africa’. This event aimed to showcase actionable solutions that African nations can implement today to accelerate the transition towards a net-zero emissions future.

Millions of people across Africa lack access to electricity and energy-efficient appliances. Often, the very same people are most at risk of exposure to climate hazards, which can result in displacement, serious health issues, and, in the worst cases, premature death. Appliances and equipment are cornerstones of life, essential for living productively and—increasingly—coping with global warming and its associated shocks. With numerous households in Africa already feeling the effects of climate change, the time to close the appliance access gaps is now, and doing this will have profound benefits for people and our planet.

Crucially, the discussions aimed to feature effective and affordable appliance solutions that foster resilient communities and drive progress toward national and global emissions reduction targets. The opportunity is here to build a more inclusive, sustainable world while positioning Africa as a global leader and advocate for universal access to efficient appliances and equipment.

Speakers at the event

Moderator – Christine Egan – CEO, CLASP

• Chianda Njogu – The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP)
• David Mutisya – Directorate of Renewable Energy, Ministry of Energy (Kenya)
• Martha Wakoli – CLASP
• Mikayla Czajkowski – SunCulture
• Rebecca Mincy – The Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund (ARAF)

Event details:

Tuesday 5 September | 2.30 to 3.30 pm | The Opportunity of Appliance Access for a Climate-Resilient Africa | Lenana Hall

Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for more updates.

On August 23 and 24, CLASP’s India team will lead two sessions at the 2023 South Asia Forum for Distributed Energy (SAFDE), organized by GOGLA in New Delhi, India. This event will highlight the distributed energy community’s efforts to chart a business-driven route to improved energy access for households and the way forward to enhance the Productive Use of Energy (PURE) for improved livelihoods.

India’s substantial endeavors in electrification have resulted in ensuring widespread electricity accessibility across the nation – today the country is 100% electrified. The Government of India is now looking at enabling access to reliable power 24/7 across India through multiple initiatives.

To address the ‘weak grid’ challenge, GOGLA and CLASP are holding a focused discussion on ‘Plugging the Gap: Partnerships and Innovations for the Weak Grid’ on August 23. The session will include panelists from the Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) industry, electricity distribution companies, financing and technology experts.

India is one of the largest producers of agriculture and horticulture products – the largest producer of milk, and the second largest producer of fruits, vegetables, and fish. While reaching record horticulture output in 2020-21, it wasted 30% of produced food in the same year. The lack of cold chain facilities for food storage contributed largely to agricultural losses. Post-harvest losses for fruits and vegetables in FY 2021-22 amounted to 10 million metric tons and INR 60,000 crores (USD 7.2 billion), impacting farmers’ incomes and greenhouse gas emissions.

To enhance access to cold chain facilities, the Indian government launched multiple schemes to enable investments in cold chain infrastructure. In partnership with Energy Efficiency Services Limited, and cKinetics as the knowledge partner, CLASP will be co-hosting a session on investment prospects in the cold chain sector for the future of India’s agriculture. The session will bring together financial institutions and demand aggregators, uncovering short and long-term opportunities that minimize the gaps between farmers and cold chain facilities.

CLASP at SAFDE2023:

23 August 2023 | 15:00 PM – 16:00 PM | Plugging the Gap: Partnerships and Innovations for the Weak Grid

24 August 2023 | 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Investment Opportunities for Affordable and Efficient Agriculture Cold Chain

To register for SAFDE 2023, please log on here.

India’s agricultural sector faces two significant challenges: the impact of climate change and a rapidly growing population. As the demand for food increases, so will the need for efficient and robust cold chain and food logistics infrastructure. To bridge the gap between farmers and markets, the country needs substantial investments, a reliable power supply and an energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure.

In collaboration with Asian Development Bank (ADB), National Centre for Cold Chain Development, and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), CLASP co-hosted an event to explore the opportunities and challenges in transitioning towards low-carbon and energy-efficient cold chains.

BEE’s Director, Arijit Sengupta highlighted the importance of the energy sector for agriculture and livelihoods. Sengupta also shared that BEE is working to advance energy efficiency policy options for cold chain components such as compressors, walk in cold rooms and cold storage.

CLASP Senior Director, Bishal Thapa, moderated a discussion that emphasized the need to make the next wave of cold chain infrastructure energy efficient and sustainable. The consensus was that sustainable cold chain solutions and services must be accessible and affordable even to the smallest farms in India.

CLASP’s P. K. Mukherjee reinforced the need to have specific standards for cold chain equipment as a prerequisite to develop impactful energy efficiency policies for the sector. He also highlighted the existence of post-harvest horticulture guidelines and the need to ensure these are adopted by farmers.

CLASP’s Kishore Kumar featured in a discussion on the Super-Efficient Appliance Deployment (SEAD) initiative of CEM. Kishore highlighted the progress being made towards doubling the efficiency of four priority products by 2030 – air conditioners, refrigerators, industrial motor systems, and lighting. This initiative is essential in the context of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), where many countries are finding it challenging to meet their climate goals. By promoting super-efficient appliances, countries can significantly reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to global climate action.

On the last day of CEM,, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) hosted a side event which included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with CLASP on adoption of 10 million energy-efficient fans in India. CLASP will provide technical assistance and capacity building support to EESL on Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QAQC) framework of fans program.

A key takeaway from CEM14 is that transitioning towards low-carbon and energy-efficient cold chain infrastructure is not just an opportunity but an imperative for India. Climate change poses significant challenges for India’s food storage and distribution, and it requires urgent action.

Watch all session recordings here.

18 Small and medium-sized companies selling productive use appliances (PUAs) were selected by the Productive Use Financing Facility to receive procurement subsidies and capacity-building grants.

PUAs are energy-efficient, income-generating appliances like refrigerators, walk-in cold rooms, electric cookers, solar water pumps and milling machines. Despite their transformative potential for local communities, small businesses and the environment, PUA sales are extremely low in emerging markets due to affordability and access to finance.

CLASP and Nithio want to change this. They set up the Facility, with support from the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), to make PUAs more affordable to consumers and companies. In this funding round, CLASP received over 80 applications from companies across Central, East and West Africa, representing a range of PUA technologies. Solar water pumps were the most common technology, followed by refrigerators and fans.

Subsidies with a transformative impact

The 18 companies selected will use their funding to sell a combined amount of 12,135 PUAs that will introduce life-changing productive use technology to over 500,000 people. The successful companies target both households and small businesses, with the PUA providing a transformative community-level impact by enabling customers to generate more income, save time, and improve their quality of life.

 “We are excited to support such a wide range of early movers and leaders in the productive use market,” commented Jeff Sottlemyer, CLASP program lead for the Facility. “We look forward to seeing the impact of this support on the lives of their customers and the communities they live and work in.”

Many applicants laid out strategies to specifically market appliances to women, showcasing the sector’s recognition of equitable uptake of PUA. BrightLife, a Ugandan refrigerator distributor, incentivizes sales agents to reach targets of at least 50% women shop owners and farmers for sales of refrigeration products. The companies also have a strong representation of women on their payroll. For example, women comprise more than 70% of the Ugandan-based and owned company POPO Africa’s workforce, while ALLTIMEFRESH in Nigeria is owned and predominately run by women.

“We anticipate the Facility will help early movers reduce unit costs, improving access to affordable, high-quality appliances,” noted Makena Ireri, Director at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet “Unit cost reduction is a necessary step in demonstrating commercially sustainable PUA businesses that can attract private investment and propel market growth.”

The goal of the Productive Use Financing Facility is to support companies with the potential to scale quickly, and this round prioritized companies that are ready to sell. Already sales are underway at many of these companies, with the others expected to commence within the next month.

Following a rigorous evaluation, CLASP selected the following 18 companies:

Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates on the Facility.

About The Productive Use Financing Facility

CLASP’s Productive Use Financing Facility, is supported by The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).

On 14 June,  Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry officially launched the National Cooling Action Plan for Kenya (NCAP). Since 2018, CLASP has worked closely with government agencies and key stakeholders to develop the Plan that will guide sustainable cooling solutions in the country through 2027.

Growing Demand for Cooling in Kenya

As temperatures rise, cooling technologies are needed to support resilient food supply chains and keep society healthy and productive. However, these same technologies are highly energy-intensive and can contribute to significant carbon emissions. With a strong focus on aligning with Kenya’s climate commitments, the National Cooling Action Plan (NCAP) sets out to play a crucial role in achieving the nation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of at least 32% by 2030, as outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).  

In Kenya, only 12.8% of households currently own a refrigerator, while 15% of residential and 30% of commercial buildings employ air conditioning. However, these numbers are expected to rise with the expansion of the national grid, economic growth and increasing average temperatures. The NCAP will provide a concrete approach to address growing cooling demand, without exacerbating strain on the national grid or further contributing to climate change.

Promoting Environmentally Friendly Cooling Solutions

Speaking at the launch event organized by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), Engineer Festus Ng’eno, the Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate, emphasized the objectives of the NCAP:

“With the implementation of this Plan, we are setting a course towards a more efficient, environmentally friendly, and inclusive refrigeration and air-conditioning sector in Kenya.”

The NCAP aims to expand access to sustainable cooling by focusing on key areas:

1. Enhancing the performance and efficiency of energy-consuming cooling appliances;
2. Transitioning the cooling sector to refrigerants with minimal environmental impact;
3. Increasing access to energy-efficient cooling solutions with a low environmental footprint; and

Improving access to agricultural cold chains to support a resilient agricultural sector and reduce food waste.

Kenya’s National Cooling Action Plan represents a significant step towards addressing the country’s growing demand for sustainable cooling. By promoting energy efficiency, eco-friendly refrigerants, and improved access to cooling services, the NCAP aims to create a more inclusive and environmentally-conscious refrigeration and air-conditioning sector.

The development of the NCAP is led by Kenya’s Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, supported by the Department of Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs), the Government of Germany through the Green Cooling Initiative II, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and CLASP.