About
More than 40% of food produced in India is wasted—cumulatively at the farm, transport, and retail level—before it reaches the customer (FAO Food Waste Index, 2021). One way to address the problem at the farm level is that farmers, especially smallholder farmers, are given access to efficient and clean cold storage solutions at affordable prices so that they can reduce food losses and sell products when market prices are more conducive.
Such a step would not only enhance India’s food and water security but would also be in line with the Government of India’s efforts at doubling farmer incomes. Our analysis suggests that farmer revenues can increase by more than 35% with the help of cold storage. Moreover, deploying clean and efficient cooling solutions, rather than those that use grid power, would also be in line with the targets set under the National Action Cooling Plan in 2019, as part of which India plans to reduce cooling energy requirements 25- 40% by 2037-38 (IEA, 2021).
DESIGN & REPLICATION
CaaS is a solution that entails open access, a data-science-based mobile application that uses machine learning, and physics-based food modeling to enable smallholder farmers to access sustainable cooling facilities through servitization. The app, called ‘Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant’ (Your VCCA), offers a number of features for smallholder farmers, cold room service providers, as well as cold room operators.
The objective of CaaS with VCCA is to enable smallholders to gain access to cooling without upfront costs; have access to easy-to-use information so that they can make optimal decisions on produce and farm management and thus break the negative cycle of poverty – while also improving food security and minimizing the impact of food production on global climate.
IMPACT
For a grid-connected, solar-powered cold room, the project and equity returns can exceed 27% and 43% respectively, assuming service providers can realize revenues of INR 0.5/kg/day and an annualized capacity utilization of 50%.
Within four years, CaaS with VCCA can benefit 1.5 million farmers, abate 100,000 units of CO2, and mobilize USD 200 million into decentralized cold room projects.
IMPLEMENTATION PATHWAY
CaaS with VCCA will pilot in two Indian states, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh, during 2021-2022, after which the proponents will expand partnerships, enhance service offerings, and enter new regions. The pilot will serve to demonstrate the economic viability of the CaaS business model and the value-add of the VCCA app.
Know more: Cooling as a Service (2019)
Details
News & Events
BASE announces winners of first CaaS incubator
March 18, 2020Lab proponent BASE has announced the winners of the CaaS incubator, which aims to help organizations implement the innovative and disruptive Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) model, endorsed in 2019 by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance. Applications for CaaS incubator projects were due 14 February. BASE received an enthusiastic response from around the world, and five […]
MGM successfully implements CaaS in Colombia
April 28, 2020MGM Innova Group, an active member of the CaaS Alliance, has been implemented by MGM Innova Group in a 100-unit office building in Columbia. Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS) is a pay-per-service model for clean cooling systems endorsed by the Lab in 2019. This new CaaS implementation by MGM Innova amounts to an annual energy saving of 1,2GWh […]
BASE has launched the Cooling as a Service Alliance
November 7, 2019Cooling as a Service (CaaS), endorsed by the Lab in September as part of the 2019 cycle, is launching the CaaS Alliance, a partnership between technology providers, cooling customers, investors, and other stakeholders in the model. The alliance aims to create a collaborative environment between stakeholders active in the market as well as facilitators to […]
BASE launches Cooling as a Service Incubator and opens call for applications
January 21, 2020Lab proponent BASE is accepting applications for the recently launched Cooling as a Service (CaaS) Incubator. It aims to help organizations implement the innovative and disruptive CaaS model, endorsed in 2019 by the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance. Learn more about the CaaS Incubator and apply by February 14th here. — BASE announces call for […]
Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance Launches New Program to Increase Impact Through Replication
May 10, 2021The new program focuses on the scale-up of successful climate finance solutions in new markets For 2021, the Lab will support the replication of three initiatives from the Lab’s portfolio Brazil and India are the target markets for the new program’s first replication cycle LONDON – The Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance (the Lab), the only climate finance incubator […]