Ever heard of cooling solutions driven by the heat of the Sun? This might just be a reality for the rural folk living in large number of Indian villages. Promethean Power- a MIT spin-off is researching over the possibilities of making use of thermoelectronic technology for developing a stationary, solar-powered refrigerator. The initiative is taken keeping in mind the needs of villagers in rural India many of whom face the problem of storing diary products and vaccines due to lack of electricity and refrigerating solutions. This prototype will be showcased at the upcoming Emerging Technologies conference to be held at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The prototype’s design includes a small-sized array of solar panels on the roof and thermoelectric modules + electric compononents inside the small building.Â

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Thermoelectric modules are semiconducting materials used to convert electricity (from the solar panels) into currents of cold air.These are essential placed in between ceramic tiles and are already used in market in certain applications that consume low-energy like cooling car seats or computer chips. Now, technicians at Promethean Power want to test these modules for renewable energy sources like solar power.Â
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Besides working on the efficiency of this technology Promethean Power is also considering the cost of its solar-powered refrigerator- a concept which if successful will result in its mass production for rural consumption. The cost is definitely going to be a feature which will determine the successful implementation of such a solar-cum-thermoelectronic technological device in a developing nation like India and other TWCs (third world countries). Will it eventually turn out to be a boon for perishable items in such places where constant electric supply is a big concern, remains to be seen!
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Via: Ecogeek