Camels have been getting a bad rap recently, at least in Australia where they’ve become such a destructive invasive species and the government has called in airstrikes against them. But in Kenya an organization called Nomadic Communities Trust has found a new sustainable solar cargo for the ships of the desert.
[social_buttons]
In partnership with Princeton University and The Art College of Design in California, the Nomadic Communities Trust has come up with a portable solar-powered refrigeration system that can be carried by camel to remote populations. The system was designed to refrigerate vaccines and other medicines in areas that are not connected to a grid.
Camel, Meet Solar
According to writer Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, the refrigeration system will consist of portable solar panels that can fold for easier transportation, along with a foot-powered backup system. A high-tech ergonomic aluminum frame will substitute for traditional sisal ropes, in order to prevent chafing and other discomfort to the camel. The equipment has been field-tested on camels at the Bronx Zoo and once funding is in place, Nomadic Communities Trust hopes to bring it to Kenya.
Big Solar, Little Solar
Utility-scale solar projects are fast becoming the norm, but it’s also important to remember that small-scale, portable solar can make a huge difference in areas of the world that are not grid-connected now, and will not be for many years into the future.
Image: Camel by ST33VO on flickr.com.
Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, want to advertise, or want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.
Former Tesla Battery Expert Leading Lyten Into New Lithium-Sulfur Battery Era — Podcast:
I don't like paywalls. You don't like paywalls. Who likes paywalls? Here at CleanTechnica, we implemented a limited paywall for a while, but it always felt wrong — and it was always tough to decide what we should put behind there. In theory, your most exclusive and best content goes behind a paywall. But then fewer people read it! We just don't like paywalls, and so we've decided to ditch ours. Unfortunately, the media business is still a tough, cut-throat business with tiny margins. It's a never-ending Olympic challenge to stay above water or even perhaps — gasp — grow. So ...
