Root Cellars--Old Tech with New Life

Long before the invention of modern refrigeration, root cellars were a critical solution for food storage and preservation.  That simple technology has played a critical role throughout history.  The concept is simple—dig down into the earth to create a space with natural, controlled-temperature and a relatively consistent humidity to reduce food spoilage.  Fun fact: A good root cellar can maintain temperatures 40°F below ambient.

This natural cooling technology is still used in many parts of the world today where modern refrigeration is unavailable or too costly to implement. 

The SolarX|Works xCOLD platform is an ideal solution to pair with this old (but still practical) technology. The xCOLD is designed to be space agnostic—meaning that it can be paired with just about any type of cooling space to create a cold environment for storing perishables.  Part of the design concept is the xCOLD’s ability to function in a ductless, split form factor (think similar to a ductless heat pump in your house).  This allows for the cooling unit (containing the evaporator) to be placed up to 18 meters (not quite 60 feet) away from the control unit (containing the smart controls and condenser) to create cooling in hard to reach places.  In the root cellar example, the control unit would be attached to the solar panels outside the entrance to the root cellar.  The cooling unit would then be placed inside the root cellar and blow cold air to maintain a constant storage temperature—capable of being colder and more consistent than the root cellar on its own.  In addition, root cellars are naturally insulated, so maintaining a constant storage temperature in instances when the sun isn’t shining would require less backup power than other types of storage spaces. 

This application of the xCOLD would create a hybrid between old and new technologies and create a storage platform that is more economical for many areas around the world where building a state-of-the-art cold storage facility is simply not feasible.  Since the root cellar space already exists, the cost of creating a “modern” refrigerated environment leveraging the xCOLD technology would be reduced to only the cost of the xCOLD and the solar panels to run it.  In many areas of the world where post-harvest waste is a major issue, this could be a cost-effective solution to reduce waste and lead to increased revenue for local farmers.