January 31, 2009
An innovative company, Promethean Power Systems, is designing a solar powered refrigerator system that will be used in areas of India where access to an electric grid is unreliable. The company was founded by Sorin Grama and Sam White after Promethan Power Systems recieved the award for runner-up winner in MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition in 2007.
Promethean Power Systems is designing an energy-efficient hybrid solar refrigerator system for food distribution networks that operate in off-grid or partially electrified areas. The system uses clean, quiet, solid-state technologies such as thermoelectric cooling modules and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. A small generator is used during extended periods of cloudy conditions to backup the solar panels. By comparison, conventional refrigeration systems are not designed for efficient, off-grid operation. They use diesel-thirsty power generators and freon-based refrigeration compressors that require constant maintenance.
The market need for this product is quite obvious and the passion of these two social entrepreneurs is also apparent by their vision, “to develop a complete, stand-alone rural refrigeration system that stimulates businesses, reduces dependency on fossil fuels and increases the quality of life in emerging markets by enabling its users to reliably store food, vaccines and other perishable items.” We look forward to hearing more about Promethean Power Systems as they fulfill their vision and provide social and environmental benefits to communities of India.
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