By Eamonn Ryan
This series is based on a joint GCCA–IFC webinar on the topic Cold Chain Insights in Emerging Markets, moderated by Amanda Brondy (GCCA), with contributions from Harsh Gupta, Cold Chain Lead, IFC; Rusmir Music, Global Cooling Lead, IFC; Selcuk Tanatar, TechEmerge Lead, IFC; Sunil Nair, Cooling Markets Lead India, GCCA; and Adam Thocher, Senior VP of Global Programs, GCCA.
This is part five of an eight-part series with this first part covering the topic: TechEmerge reduced innovation risk by testing cooling technologies in real operating environments.
Innovation is essential for transforming cold chains, but new cooling technologies carry significant operational and financial risk, especially in emerging markets. To address this, TechEmerge, an IFC-supported programme, implemented real-world pilot projects designed to test new solutions under actual operating conditions before scaling them across broader networks.
Between 2019 and 2023, TechEmerge ran nearly 100 pilot projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, covering diverse applications: solar-powered cold storage, phase change material (PCM) transport refrigeration, modular freezer units and biomass-powered stationary storage systems. The goal was to evaluate energy efficiency, autonomy, resilience and cost-effectiveness. Pilots provided operators with tangible evidence of performance, reducing uncertainty for both innovators and investors.
A key finding was that operational context strongly shapes performance. High temperatures, unreliable electricity and long transit times often exposed limitations that laboratory tests could not capture. For example, in some pilots, technologies that promised high energy efficiency under ideal conditions required adaptation for uneven roads, prolonged transport times or inconsistent grid supply.
TechEmerge also revealed that many ‘failures’ were not technological but human. Maintenance gaps, operator misunderstanding and lack of local skills often limited performance. In several cases, promising technologies underperformed simply because technicians were not trained to manage them. This insight has led to a greater emphasis on integrated training alongside technology deployment.
Energy efficiency emerged as a central criterion. Many pilots focused on minimising diesel or grid dependency, which is both a cost-saving and environmental priority. Solar-charged PCM systems, for example, demonstrated that refrigerated transport could maintain temperatures autonomously for multiple hours, even during transit disruptions. Diesel reductions of up to 70% were recorded in certain cases, highlighting the potential for both emissions reduction and operating cost savings.
Another key contribution of TechEmerge was building confidence in investors and early adopters. By seeing real-world results, companies could evaluate return on investment with actual data rather than projections. This helped create a market for innovations that might otherwise have been considered too risky.
Finally, TechEmerge has provided a knowledge base for scaling sustainable cooling solutions. Lessons learned in pilot design, monitoring, maintenance and training are being incorporated into IFC’s broader approach, ensuring that future investments are not only technically feasible but operationally reliable and financially attractive.