A SOLAR FRIDGE

More than half a billion people live off the grid in Africa and can’t use an ordinary refrigerator. But a new low-cost fridge from a brand called Youmma uses so little energy that a single solar panel on a roof can power it. “We redesigned the whole system to make it as efficient and affordable as possible,” says André Morriesen, product head at Youmma, a brand of Brazilbased Nidec Global Appliance. The solar fridge launched in Uganda and Kenya in 2019. Families using it are now saving as much as half of their weekly household income on food costs, and women (who frequently continue to shoulder the food preparation burden in many developing communities) save hours in daily treks to the market.